HBllil 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


GIFT 


HISTORY  OF  THE  SCHOOL 


.  FROM  1633  TO  THE  PRESENT  TIME. 


BY 

HENRY    WEBB    DUNSHEE. 


ait  Kntro&uction 

BY 

REV.    THOMAS    DEWITT,    D.D. 


Published  by  the  Authority  of  the  Consistory  of  the  Collegiate  Reformed  Protestant 
Dutch  Church,  of  the  City  of  New- York. 


PRINTED  BY  JOHN  A.  GRAY,  95  &  97  CLIFF,  COB.  FRANKFORT  ST. 
1853. 


Entered,  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1853, 
BY  HENRY  WEBB  DUNSHEE, 

In  the   Clerk's  Office  of*the   District  Court  of  the  United  States  for 
the  Southern   District   of-  New   York. 


Education 
Library 
LTD 
/ 


PROLEGOMENA 


THE  preparation  of  an  inscription  for  the  tablet  .intended  to 
be  placed  in  the  front  of  the  new  edifice  erected  for  the  school 
of  the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church,  in  the  city  of  New- 
York,  led  to  the  inquiry  :  "  In  what  year  was  the  school 
established  ?" 

To  this  question  no  satisfactory  answer  could  be  obtained. 
History,  indeed,  informed  us  that  the  establishment  of  a  school 
by  the  Dutch  in  New-Netherland  was  synchronous  with  the 
founding  of  a  colony  ;  and  from  this  circumstance,  the  opinion 
was  entertained  by  some  that  the  germ  of  this  institution  was 
planted  in  New-Amsterdam  at  an  early  period  in  its  history. 
But  the  generality  of  those  who  were  acquainted  with  the 
school,  supposed  that  the  date  of  its  origin  could  be  traced  to 
a  period  subsequent  to  the  Revolutionary  War. 

The  traditionary  knowledge  of  the  school  leading  its  Trus- 
tees to  the  belief  that  it  was  one  of  antiquity,  that  body,  on 
the  motion  of  MORTIMER  DE  MOTTE,  Esq.,  one  of  its  members, 
requested  the  Principal  to  compile  such  information  with  re- 
gard to  it  as  authentic  sources  migh't  furnish.  The  present 
work  is  the  result. 

Identified  with  the  history  of  the  city  from  its  settlement, 
and  with  the  most  ancient  church  established  therein ;  per- 
petuated by  our  worthy  ancestors,  to  whose  children  and 
children's  children,  even  to  the  present  day,  it  has  afforded 
a  religious  and  intellectual  training;  endeared  by  associations 
of  a  most  interesting  character  to  numerous  members  of  the 


oc 


IV  PROLEGOMENA. 

Dutch  Church  now  living,  descendants  of  the  original  stock, 
and  partakers  in  youth  of  its  benefits ;  an  interest  attaches  to 
it,  at  once  peculiar  and  delightful. 

Induced  by  these  considerations,  and  with  the  view  of  pre- 
serving, in  substantial  form,  the  history  of  this  the  oldest 
educational  institution  existing  at  present  in  the  Western 
World,  the  Consistory  of  the  Collegiate  Church,  with  its 
accustomed  liberality,  made  provision  for  its  publication. 

The  materials  for  this  work  were  principally  derived  from 
the  Colonial  Records  of  New- Amsterdam,  preserved  in  the 
archives  of  the  City  and  State  Governments ;  the  Corre- 
spondence of  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  ;  the  Consistorial  Min- 
utes of  the  Collegiate  Church,  (the  Rev.  Dr.  De  Witt  ren- 
dering the  translation  from  the  Dutch  language,  in  the  two 
latter ;)  Brodhead's  New- York,  the  Documentary  History  of 
the  State,  and  the  Minutes  of  the  Board  of  Trustees. 

The  Author  acknowledges  with  kindness  his  lasting  obli- 
gations to  Hon.  James  W.  Beekman,  E.  B.  O'Callaghan, 
M.  D. ;  James  B.  Brinsmade,  Esq.,  bf  Albany ;  A.  D.  F.  Ran- 
dolph, Esq.;  David  T.  Valentine,  Clerk  of  the  Common 
Council ;  Theodore  Nims,  Jr.,  Esq. ;  Samuel  W.  Seton,  Esq. ; 
and  to  the  Librarians  of  the  Historical  Society,  Mercantile 
and  Society  Libraries  of  this  city,  for  the  facilities  they  so 
cordially  afforded  him  in  the  prosecution  of  his  researches. 

Extracts  from  the  Minutes  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  and  of 
Consistory : 

New- York,  May  29,  1848. 

"  On  the  motion  of  Mortimer  De  Motte,  it  was  unanimously 

"Resolved,  That  Mr.  Henry  W.  Dunshee  be  requested  to 
investigate  the  records  of  our  church,  and  gather  together  from 
them,  and  from  such  other  sources  as  may  be  presented  to  him, 
all  the  facts  attainable,  in  connection  with  and  relative  to  the 
School  of  the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church,  in  the  city  of 
New- York,  for  the  purpose  of  preparing  its  history. 

THOMAS  JEREMIAH, 
Sec.  Board  of  Trustees. 


PROLEGOMENA.  V 

0 

Upon  the  completion  of  the  work,  it  was  approved  by  the 
pastors  of  the  Collegiate  Church  and  the  Board  of  Trustees, 
before  whom  it  was  read,  May  24,  1852. 

At  a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  Board,  June  28,  "  Messrs. 
Van  Nest,  Oothout,  and  Dunshee  were  appointed  a  commit- 
tee, with  reference  to  the  publication  of  the  work." 

"  Oct.  25th. — The  draft  of  a  memorial  was  presented  at  a 
meeting  of  the  Trustees,  by  Mr.  Van  Nest,  in  behalf  of  the  above 
committee,  and  it  was  on  motion 

"Resolved,  That  the  said  memorial,  signed  by  the  officers  of 
this  Board,  be  presented  to  Consistory." 

GEO.  S.  STITT,  Sec. 

In  Consistory,  February  3,  1853. 

"  On  the  request  of  the  Trustees  of  the  School  of  the  Church, 
to  publish  its  history  for  gratuitous  distribution, 

"Resolved,  That  the  sum  of  six  hundred  dollars  be  appro- 
priated for  that  purpose. 

"Revolted,  That  the  Rev.  Dr.  De  "Witt  be  requested  to  aid 
the  Trustees  in  the  said  publication." 

Extract  from  Minutes. 

CORNELIUS  -BOGERT,  Clerk. 

June  29,  1853. 

"Resolved,  That  Messrs.  Warner  and  Beadle  be  a  special 
committee  to  superintend  the  publication  of  the  History  of  the 
School."  GAMALIEL  G.  SMITH,  Sec. 


BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES 


SCHOOL  OF  THE  REFORMED  PROTESTANT  DUTCH  CHURCH, 
IN  THE  CITY  OF  NEW-YORK. 

1803. 


PETER  R.  WARNER,   Chairman. 
GAMALIEL  G.  SMITH,  Secretary. 
EDWARD  L.  BEADLE,  M.D. 
JOHN  VAN  NEST. 
GEORGE  S.  STITT. 
CHARLES  S.  LITTLE. 
JOHN  I.  BROWER. 


TEACHERS, 

HENRY  WEBB  DUNSHEE. 
JAMES  T.  GRAFF. 
Miss  HARRIET  PARKER. 

"     MARIA  JOSEPHINE  ROGERS. 

"     ELSIE  J.  NICHOLSON. 


INTRODUCTION. 


A  HISTORICAL  SKETCH 

OF   THE 

PAEOCHIAL  SCHOOL  SYSTEM  IN  HOJJAND 

SUBSEQUENT  TO  THE  REFORMATION. 


BY  REV.  THOMAS  DE  WITT,  D.  D. 


THIS  yolurne  gives  the  History  of  the  School  of  the  Re- 
formed Dutch  Church  in  this  city,  as  far  as  it  can  be  ascertained 
from  surviving  documents  in  various  sources.  This  school  was 
co-eval  with  the  first  settlement  by  Hollanders  here,  and  haa 
continued,  to  the  present  time,  an  instrument  of  much  good 
in  training  the  children,  especially  of  the  poorer  class,  under 
a  direct  religious  influence.  It  has  proved,  under  the  Divine 
blessing,  a  nursery  to  the  Church,  gathering  many  into  her 
communion ;  and  it  has  introduced  a  very  large  proportion  as 
useful  members  of  society.  It  was  the  custom,  after  the 
Reformation  in  Holland,  to  send  out  with  emigrants  going  to 
any  of  its  colonies,  however  few  in  number,  a  well-qualified 
schoolmaster,  who  was  a  member  of  the  Church,  and  accredited 
by  his  competence  and  piety  to  take  charge  of  the  instruction  of 
children  and  youth.  During  the  absence  or  want  of  a  minis- 
ter, he  was  bound  to  conduct  public  worship,  by  reading  a  ser- 


8  HISTORICAL  SKETCH   OF  THE 

mon,  offering  prayers,  etc.,  on  the  Sabbath,  and  on  other  occa- 
sions. With  the  earliest  agricultural  settlement  of  Manhattan 
Island  and  its  vicinity,  such  a  schoolmaster  and  voorleser  was 
sent  out,  and  from  the  earliest  period  the  School  has  conti- 
nued to  this  day. 

The  importance  of  the  religious  element  in  early  education 
cannot  be  too  highly  estimated  in  reference  to  the  formation 
of  character,  and  the  direction  of  the  future  course  of  life. 
Under  the  Old  Testament  economy,  the  Divine  direction  was : 
"These  words  shall  be  in  thine  heart;  and  thou  shall  teach 
them  diligently  unto  thy  children,  and  shall  talk  of  them 
when  thou  sittest  in  thy  house,  and  when  thou  walkest  by  the 
way,  and  when  thou  liest  down,  and  when  thou  risest  up" 
In  the  early  Christian  Church,  particular  attention  was  paid 
to  the  scriptural  and  religious  instruction  of  youth,  and  con- 
stant reference  is  made  to  the  office  and  exercises  of  catechists 
and  catechumens.  The  witnesses  for  the  truth  in  the  dark  mid- 
dle ages  of  the  reign  of  Papal  usurpation  were  remarkable  for 
their  faithfulness  in  the  religious  instruction  and  discipline  of 
their  children.  The  excellent  and  devoted  Waldenses  were 
probably  indebted,  under  God,  to  their  peculiar  diligence  in  the 
discharge  of  this  duty  for  their  remarkable  success  in  keep- 
ing their  body  together,  under  the  influences  and  persecu- 
tions that  pressed  upon  them ;  in  transmitting  their  testimony 
from  generation  to  generation,  and  in  remaining  continually 
a  beacon -light  amid  the  prevailing  darkness,  for  the  admira- 
tion and  guidance  of  the  Church  in  future  times.  History 
informs  us  that  they  bestowed  constant  and  careful  attention 
on  the  religious  instruction  of  their  children  and  youth,  that 
they  were  in  the  habit  of  preparing  excellent  and  appropriate 
catechisms  and  formularies,  and  that  the  pastors  made  the 
religious  training  of  their  youth  a  leading  and  unceasing 
object  of  their  labow. 


PAROCHIAL   SCHOOL   SYSTEM  IN   HOLLAKD.  9 

At  the  period  of  the  Reformation,  the  different  parts  of 
the  Protestant  Church  made  this  a  prominent  object  of  their 
care  and  efforts.  Formularies  of  divine  truth,  and  cate- 
chisms adapted  to  different  ages,  were  early  introduced. 
Many  of  them  obtained  ecclesiastical  sanction  and  authority, 
and  were  directed  to  be  explained  in  the  pulpit  and  the 
schools.  It  would  be  interesting  to  trace  the  history  of  the 
introduction  and  use  of  catechetical  instruction  in  the 
churches  and  schools,  from  the  earliest  time  of  the  Reform- 
ation, by  the  Church  of  England,  the  Church  of  Scotland, 
the  Reformed  Churches  of  France,  Switzerland,  Germany, 
and  Holland,  etc.  Measures  were  taken  in  Scotland,  at  an 
early  period  of  the  Reformation,  leading  to  the  institution  of 
parochial  schools,  widely  diffused,  under  the  supervision  of 
the  churches,  and  making  religious  instruction  a  pervading 
and  distinguishing  element. 

We  can  here  only  make  a  brief  reference  to  the  Church 
of  Holland.  No  where  was  the  struggle  for  the  principles 
of  the  Reformation  so  severe  and  (we  may  say)  so  crushing. 
Charles  V.,  who  held  the  crown  of  Spain,  and  the  patri- 
monial inheritance  of  the  Netherlands,  was  elected  Emperor 
of  Germany.  He  found  it  his  policy  to  treat  the  Protestant 
princes,  and  the  professors  of  the  Protestant  faith  there,  with 
comparative  indulgence ;  while  in  the  Netherlands,  heredita- 
rily devolving  upon  him,  he  introduced  his  Spanish  armies 
and  the  Inquisition.  The  page  of  history  is  replete  with  the 
account  of  the  severity  and  extent  of  the  religious  persecu- 
tions by  Spanish  and  Papal  power.  Thousands  upon  thou- 
sands lost  their  lives,  while  many  more  fled  for  refuge  to 
other  parts.  But  then  the  Word  of  the  Lord  took  deep 
root  The  first  religious  societies  of  the  Reformed  faith  called 
themselves  "De  Kerken  van  Christus  onder  het  Kruys :" 
"  The  Churches  of  Christ  under  the  Cross."  In  1566  the 
1* 


10  HISTORICAL   SKETCH    OF   THE 

first  Synod  met  at  Antwerp,  minutes  of  which  have  not  been 
handed  down.  The  noted  and  cruel  Duke  of  Alva  succeeded 
to  the  Viceroyalty  of  the  Netherlands  in  1567.  lie  boasted 
that  during  his  seven  years'  regency,  eighteen  thousand  had 
been  put  to  death  by  him  for  heresy.  The  Reformed  held 
their  Synod  at  Wesel,  now  in  Rhenish  Prussia,  on  the  Rhine, 
in  1568;  and  at  Embden,  in  East  Friesland,  in  1571 ;  not 
being  able  to  find  a  place  of  safety  in  the  Netherlands. 
They  called  themselves  "Believers  under  the  Cross  scattered 
throughout  the  Netherlands"  At  these  Synods,  particular 
reference  was  made,  and  provision  secured,  for  the  Christian 
education  of  the  young.  At  subsequent  Synods,  held  in 
Holland,  before  and  after  the  Union  of  Utrecht,  in  1579, 
the  subject  was  carefully  considered,  and  plans  adopted. 
The  principles  thus  adopted  became  more  fully  developed 
and  matured  in  the  action  of  the  well-known  Synod  of  Dort, 
held  in  1618  and  1619.  In  the  seventeenth  session  of  that 
Synod,  November  30,  1618,  the  subject  of  the  instruction 
and  education  of  youth,  and  of  catechising,  was  under  dis- 
cussion. In.the  result,  the  following  resolution  was  adopted, 
and  minute  made.  The  whole  is  inserted,  as  worthy  of  being 
read  and  well  weighed  : 

"  In  order  that  the  Christian  youth  may  be  diligently 
instructed  in  the  principles  of  religion,  and  be  trained  in 
piety,  three  modes  of  catechising  should  be  employed.  I. 

IN  THE  HOUSE,  BY  PARENTS.  II.  IN  THE  SCHOOLS,  BY 
SCHOOLMASTERS.  III.  IN  THE  CHURCHES,  BY  MINISTERS, 
ELDERS,  AND  CATECHISTS  ESPECIALLY  APPOINTED  FOR  THE 

PURPOSE.  That  these  may  diligently  employ  their  trust,  the 
Christian  magistrates  shall  be  requested  to  promote,  by  their 
authority,  so  sacred  and  necessary  a  work;  and  all  who  have 
the  oversight  of  churches  and  schools  shall  be  required  to 
pay  special  attention  to  this  matter." 


PAROCHIAL    SCHOOL   SYSTEM    IN    HOLLAND.  11 

"  I.  The  office  of  PARENTS  is  diligently  to  instruct  their 
children  and  their  whole  household  in  the  principles  of  the 
Christian  religion,  in  a  manner  adapted  to  their  respective 
capacities;  earnestly  and  carefully  to  admonish  them  to  the 
cultivation  of  true  piety  ;  to  engage  their  punctual  attend- 
ance on  family  worship,  and  take  them  with  them  to  the 
hearing  of  the  Word  of  God.  They  should  require  their 
children  to  give  an  account  of  the  sermons  they  hear,  espe- 
cially those  on  the  Catechism  ;  assign  them  some  chapters 
of  Scripture  to  read,  and  certain  passages  to  commit  to 
memory;  and  then  impress  and  illustrate  the  truths  con- 
tained in  them  in  a  familiar  manner,  adapted  to  the  tender- 
ness of  youth.  Thus  they  are  to  prepare  them  for  being 
catechised  in  the  schools,  and  by  attendance  on  these  to 
encourage  them  and  promote  their  edification.  Parents  are 
to  be  exhorted  to  the  faithful  discharge  of  this  duty,  by  the 
public  preaching  of  the  Word  ;  but  specially  at  the  ordinary 
period  of  family  visitation,  previous  to  the  administration  of 
the  Lord's  Supper ;  and  also  at  other  times  by  the  minister, 
elders,  etc.  Parents  who  profess  religion,  and  are  negligent 
in  this  work,  shall  be  faithfully  admonished  by  the  ministers ; 
and,  if  the  case  requires  it,  they  shall  be  censured  by  the 
Consistory,  that  they  may  be  brought  to  the  discharge  of 
their  duty." 

"II.  SCHOOLS,  in  which  the  young  shall  be  properly 
instructed  in  the  principles  of  Christian  doctrine,  shall  be 
instituted  not  only  in  cities,  but  also  in  towns  and  country 
places  where  heretofore  none  have  existed.  The  Christian 
magistracy  shall  be  requested  that  well-qualified  persons 
may  be  employed  and  enabled  to  devote  themselves  to  the 
service ;  and  especially  that  the  children  of  the  poor  may  be 
gratuitously  instructed,  and  not  be  excluded  from  the  benefit 
of  the  schools.  In  this  office  none  shall  be  employed  but 


12  HISTORICAL   SKETCH    OF   THE 

such  as  are  members  of  the  Reformed  Church,  having  certifi- 
cates of  an  upright  faith  and  pious  life,  and  of  being  well- 
versed  in  the  truths  of  the  Catechism.  They  are  to  sign  a 
document,  professing  their  belief  in  the  Confession  of  Faith 
and  the  Heidelberg  Catechism,  and  promising  that  they  will 
give  catechetical  instruction  to  the  youth  in  the  principles  of 
Christian  truth  according  to  the  same.  The  schoolmasters 
shall  instruct  their  scholars  according  to  their  age  and  capa- 
city, at  least  two  days  in  the  week,  not  only  by  causing  them 
to  commit  to  memory,  but  also  by  instilling  into  their  minds 
an  acquaintance  with  the  truths  of  the  Catechism.  [An 
elementary  small  Catechism,  the  Compendium,  and  the  Hei- 
delberg Catechism  are  those  specified  to  be  used  by  the  differ- 
ent grades  of  children  and  youth.]  The  schoolmasters  shall 
take  care  not  only  that  the  scholars  commit  these  Catechisms 
to  memory,  but  that  they  suitably  understand  the  doctrines 
contained  in  them.  For  this  purpose,  they  shall  suitably 
explain  to  every  one,  in  a  manner  adapted  to  his  capacity, 
and  frequently  inquire  if  they  understand  them.  The  school- 
masters shall  bring  every  one  of  the  pupils  committed  to  their 
charge  to  the  hearing  of  the  preached  Word,  and  particu- 
larly the  preaching  on  the  Catechism,  and  require  from  them 
an  account  of  the  same." 

"  III.  In  order  that  due  knowledge  may  be  obtained  of 
the  diligence  of  the  schoolmasters,  and  the  improvement  of 
the  youth,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  MASTERS,  WITH  AN 
ELDER,  and,  if  necessary,  with  a  magistrate,  to  visit  all  the 
schools,  private  as  well  as  public,  frequently,  in  order  to 
excite  the  teachers  to  earnest  diligence,  to  encourage  and 
counsel  them  in  the  duty  of  catechising,  and  to  furnish  an 
example  by  questioning  them,  addressing  them  in  a  friendly 
and  affectionate  manner,  and  exciting  them  to  early  piety 
and  diligence.  If  any  of  the  schoolmasters  should  be  found 


PAROCHIAL   SCHOOL    SYSTEM   IN    HOLLAND.  13 

neglectful  or  perverse,  they  shall  be  earnestly  admonished  by 
the  ministers,  and,  if  necessary,  by  the  Consistory,  in  relation 
to  their  office.  The  ministers,  in  the  discharge  of  their 
public  duty  in  the  Church,  shall  preach  on  the  Catechism. 
These  sermons  shall  be  comparatively  short,  and  accommo- 
dated, as  far  as  practicable,  to  the  comprehension  of  children 
as  well  as  adults.  The  labors  of  those  ministers  will  be 
praiseworthy  who  diligently  search  out  country  places, 
and  see  that  catechetical  instruction  be  supplied  and  faith- 
fully preserved.  Experience  teaches  that  the  ordinary 
instruction  of  the  Church,  catechetical  and  other,  is  not 
sufficient  for  many,  to  instil  that  knowledge  of  the  Christian 
religion  which  should,  among  the  people  of  God,  be  well 
grounded ;  and  also  testifies  that  the  living  voice  has  very 
great  influence ;  that  familiar  and  suitable  questions  and 
answers,  adapted  to  the  apprehension  of  each  individual,  is 
the  best  mode  of  catechising,  i»  order  to  imp'ress  the  princi- 
ples of  religion  upon  the  heart.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  a 
minister  to  go  with  an  elder  to  all  capable  of  instruction, 
and  collect  them  in  their  houses,  the  Consistory-chamber,  or 
some  other  suitable  place,  (a  number  particularly  of  those 
more  advanced  in  years,)  and  explain  familiarly  to  them  the 
articles  of  the  Christian  faith,  and  catechise  them  according 
to  the  circumstances  of  their  different  capacities,  progress, 
and  knowledge.  They  shall  question  them  on  the  matter 
of  the  public  sermons  on  the  Catechism.  Those  who  desire 
to  unite  with  the  Church  shall,  three  or  four  weeks  before 
the  administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  be  more  carefully 
and  frequently  instructed,  that  they  may  be  better  qualified 
and  be  more  free  to  give  a  satisfactory  account  of  their  faith. 
The  ministers  shall  employ  diligent  care  to  ascertain  those 
who  give  any  hopeful  evidence  of  serious  concern  for  the 
salvation  of  their  soul,  and  invite  them  to  them ;  assembling 


14:  HISTORICAL    SKETCH    OF    THE 

those  together  who  have  like  impressions,  and  encouraging 
to  friendly  intercourse  and  free  conversation  with  each  other. 
These  meetings  shall  commence  with  appropriate  prayer  and 
exhortation.  If  all  this  shall  be  done  by  the  ministers  with 
that  cordiality,  faithfulness,  zeal,  and  discretion  that  become 
those  who  must  give  an  account  of  the  flock  committed  to 
their  charge,  it  is  not  to  be  doubted  that  in  a  short  time 
abundant  fruit  of  their  labors  shall  be  found  in  growth  in 
religious  knowledge,  and  holiness  of  life,  to  the  glory  of  God, 
and  the  prosperity  of  the  Church  of  Christ." 

In  the  above  we  find  evidence  of  alliance  between  Church 
and  State  to  some  extent,  from  which  we  are,  happily, 
wholly  free.  But  it  suggests  sentiments,  and  marks  a  course 
bearing  upon  the  religious  education  of  children  and  youth, 
well  deserving  the  attention  and  approbation  of  the  Church 
and  Christian  community,  it  is  deeply  to  be  regretted  that 
with  the  extension  of  common  school  education  through  the 
entire  community,  under  the  patronage  and  by  the  provision 
of  the  State,  certain  influences  have  successfully  operated  to 
divest  them  of  a  Christian  character.  Some  time  since,  the 
Romanists  raised  an  organized  opposition  to  our  common 
schools  as  then  conducted,  demanding  the  alteration  and 
excision  of  our  school-books,  and  afterwards  proceeded  to 
object  to  the  use  of  the  Bible  and  the  offering  of  prayer  in 
the  schools,  until  they  are  deprived  of  the  semblance  of 
religious  character.  Succeeding  in  this,  they  raised  the  cry 
that  the  schools  were  godless  and  infidel,  and  claimed  for 
themselves  their  proportionate  part  of  the  public  moneys  to 
support  their  own  denominational  schools,  confounding  the 
doctrines  and  rites  of  their  own  Church  with  religion. 
While  the  system  of  universal  education,  under  the  patron- 
age of  the  State,  is  to  be  preserved  as  of  the  highest  importance, 


PAROCHIAL    SCHOOL   SYSTEM    IN    HOLLAND.  15 

and  no  denominational  claim  should  be  allowed,  it  is  most 
desirable  and  important  that  in  the  Christian  community  the 
Bible  should  be  preserved  in  our  schools,  and  that  God  should 
be  acknowledged  in  them.  But  beyond  this  it  is  the  province 
of  the  Church,  from  her  own  resources  and  means,  to  devise 
the  best  methods  of  providing  an  enlightened,  sound  religious 
education  to  her  children,  in  a  way  the  most  practicable 
under  existing  circumstances.  The  minute  extracted  from 
the  acts  of  the  Synod  of  Dort  furnishes  principles  of  great 
value  and  enduring  excellence,  which,  with  some  variety  in 
the  details  caused  by  a  change  of  circumstances  in  our  posi» 
tion,  should  be  carefully  kept  in  view  by  the  Church,  to  be 
faithfully  carried  into  execution.  The  high  importance  of 
selecting  or  forming  schools  exerting  a  religious  influence 
need  not  be  dilated  on.  Parents  should  be  led  with  greater 
fidelity  to  impart  domestic  instruction  in  the  great  truths  of 
the  gospel  as  embraced  in  our  standards,  and  should  accom- 
pany it  with  salutary  guidance  and  example.  Ministers  and 
officers  of  the  Church  should  pay  particular  attention  to  the 
young,  in  their  early  religious  training,  and  seek  to  win 
them  to  the  faith  and  service  of  the  Redeemer.  Is  it  not 
to  be  feared  that  in  the  facilities  which  modern  times  afford 
in  the  spread  of  universal  education,  the  institution  of 
Sabbath-schools,  and  the  multiplied  and  cheap  issues  from 
the  press,  there  is  yet  a  decline  in  the  careful  attention  of  the 
Church,  in  the  use  of  the  various  means  exhibited  in  the 
article  quoted  from  the  acts  of  the  Synod  of  Dort,  for  the 
acquisition  of  sound  and  well-digested  religious  knowledge 
found  among  the  children  of  the  Church  in  earlier  days  ? 

This  volume,  giving  the  history  of  the  school  of  our 
Reformed  Dutch  Church  in  this  city,  is  not  without  its 
interest  to  the  general  reader  as  a  research  into  the  "  olden 
times"  and  connected  with  the  earliest  period  of  our  city's 


16  HISTORICAL  SKETCH. 

history.  But  it  bears  peculiar  interest  to  the  friends  of  our 
Church,  and  all  who  feel  the  importance  of  the  religious 
training  of  the  children  of  the  Church,  particularly  of  those 
who  might  otherwise  be  neglected.  This  history  has  been 
prepared  by  the  present  Principal  of  the  school,  after  careful 
investigation  of  remaining  sources  of  information.  It  is  to 
be  regretted  that  so  few  materials  as  to  some  periods  have 
been  preserved.  In  the  school  there  has  ever  been  preserved 
a  course  of  instruction  in  the  branches  of  knowledge  adapted 
to  prepare  for  practical  life,  while  sound  religious  instruction 
has  been  carefully  imparted.  The  happy  and  salutary  influ- 
ence of  the  school  has  been  experienced  through  its  continued 
existence,  and  it  is  now  flourishing  under  the  wise  and  faith- 
ful direction  of  the  present  Principal,  who  has  prepared  this 
volume  at  the  request  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  appointed  by 
the  Consistory. 

THOMAS  DE  WITT. 
NEW- YORK,  Sept.  20,  1853. 


14 


HISTORY   OF    THE    SCHOOL 


THE    CITY    OF    NEW-YORK. 


CHAPTER    I.* 

A  BRIEF  OUTLINE  OF  THE  DISCOVERY  AND  SETTLEMENT  OF 
NEW-AMSTERDAM  :  1609 — 1633. 

SPECIAL  preconcerted  efforts,  authorized  by  Government  or 
induced  by  reb'gious  persecution,  led  to  the  settlement  by  the 
English  of  ten  out  of  the  thirteen  original  colonies,  extending 
on  the  sea-coast  from  Maine  to  Georgia,  inclusive.  How,  then, 
did  Holland  obtain  a  foothold  on  this  continent,  and  how 
came  the  Dutch  Government,  with  its  Church  and  School, 
to  be  the  first  established  in  the  Empire  State  ? 

A  brief  outline  of  the  circumstances  which  led  to  the  dis- 
covery and  subsequent  colonization  of  New-Amsterdam  will 
not  only  afford  a  solution  to  these  questions,  but  also  demon- 
strate the  fact  that  a  public  school  was  established  therein  as 
soon  as  the  circumstances  of  the  settlers  permitted  it. 

The  discovery  of  America  by  Columbus  while  attempting 
to  reach  China  and  Cathay  by  a  westward  passage,  did  not 

*  The  contents  of  this  chapter  were  culled  from  the  first  eight  chap- 
ters of  Brodhead's  New- York ;  and  here,  as  elsewhere  throughout  the 
work,  his  language  has  at  times  been  appropriated. 


18  OTJTLIXE    OF   THK   DISCOVERT 

in  the  least  repress  the  efforts  prompted  by  the  commercial 
spirit  of  the  age,  to  accomplish  that  undertaking.  The 
voyages  made  for  that  purpose  resulted  in  the  exploration  of 
most  of  the  large  rivers  and  estuaries  on  the  entire  eastern 
sea-board  of  the  continent.  The  southern  route,  discovered 
by  Magellan  in  1520,  affording  no  advantages  over  the  ac- 
customed route  through  the  Indian  Sea",  a  passage  was  sought 
for  on  the  north-west.  Foremost  and  most  persevering  in 
this  enterprise,  was  England ;  no  less  than  thirty  voyages, 
with  this  design,  having  been  undertaken  by  British  naviga- 
tors ;  among  whom  was  Henry  Hudson.  Failing  to  achieve 
the  object  of  his  ambition  in  the  two  attempts  made  by  him 
in  1607  and  1608  in  behalf  of  the  English  "Association  for 
the  Discovery  of  the  North-west  passage,"  he  offered  his  ser- 
vices to  the  East  India  Company  of  Holland  ;  and,  on  the  6th 
of  April,  1609,  departed  in  the  u  Half  Moon,"  from  Texel, 
with  instructions  to  "  explore  a  passage  to  China  by  the 
north-east  or  north-west."  Prevented  by  the  ice  from  proceed- 
ing eastward  toward  Nova  Zembla,  he  touched  at  the  island 
of  Faro,  sailed  thence  to  the  Banks  of  Newfoundland,  ran 
down  the  coasts  of  Nova  Scotia,  Maine,  and  Massachusetts ; 
and  failing  to  find  an  opening  to  the  west,  put  to  sea  again. 
A  fortnight  after,  he  made  land  off  the  capes  of  the  Chesa- 
peake, whence,  sailing  northward  along  the  coast  of  Mary- 
land, he  entered  Delaware  Bay.  Proceeding  thence  cautiously 
up  the  eastern  coast  of  New- Jersey,  he  entered  the  Narrows, 
and,  on  the  llth  of  September,  anchored  in  the  lower  bay. 
Subsequently,  in  prosecution  of  his  main  design,  he.  passed 
up  the  river,  which  now  bears  his  name,  to  the  vicinity  of 
Albany  ;  and,  having  ascertained  by  soundings  that  no  far- 
ther advance  could  be  made,  he  reluctantly  returned  to  the 
neighborhood  of  Hoboken.  On  the  4th  of  October  he 
weighed  anchor  for  the  last  time,  and  having  re-crossed  the 


AND    SETTLEMENT    OF   MANHATTAN.  19 

ocean,  landed,  in  November,  at  Dartmouth  in  England,  whence 
he  communicated  to  the  Company  at  Amsterdam  an  account 
of  his  discoveries. 

"  Thus  the  triumphant  flag  of  Holland  was  the  harbinger 
of  civilization  along  the  banks  of  the  great  river  of  New- York. 
The  original  purpose  of  the  Half  Moon's  voyage  had  failed 
of  accomplishment ;  but  why  need  Hudson  repine  ?  He  had 
not,  indeed,  discovered  the  passage  to  the  eastern  seas,  but 
he  had  led  the  way  to  the  foundation  of  a  mighty  state. 
The  attractive  region  to  which  accident  had  conducted  the 
Amsterdam  yacht,  soon  became  a  colony  of  the  Netherlands, 
where,  for  half  a  century,  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Holland 
established  themselves  securely  under  the  ensign  of  the  re- 
public, transplanted  the  doctrines  of  a  reformed  faith,  and 
obeyed  the  jurisprudence  which  had  governed  their  ances- 
tors."* 

In  1610,  thegreat  "  River  of  the  Mountains"  was  visited  a 
second  time  by  a  vesssel  from  Holland,  in  pursuit  of  beaver 
and  other  valuable  furs. 

In  1611,  Christiaensen  and  Block  made  a  joint  voyage  to 
the  river  for  the  purposes  of  trade ;  and  the  reports  which 
they  made  of  the  country  on  their  return  to  Holland,  led 
three  influential  merchants  of  Amsterdam  to  dispatch  with 
them,  in  1612,  two  vessels  for  the  purpose  of  continuing  the 
traffic  with  the  natives. 

During  1613,  three  other  trading-vessels  visited  the  island 
of  Manhattan,  returning  in  1614,  freighted  with  large  cargoes 
of  valuable  furs.  The  ship  under  the  command  of  Block 
having  been  burned  while  he  was  preparing  to  return  to  Hol- 
land, he  was  obliged  to  build  a  yacht,  which  caused  him  to 
remain  at  Manhattan  during  the  winter  of  1613-14  ;  and  the 

*  Brodhead,  N.  Y,  36. 


20  OUTLINE   OF   THE   DISCOVERY 

few  huts  erected  by  him  at  this  time  near  the  southern  point 
of  the  inland,  were  the  first  European  abodes  upon  it.  For- 
saking these  temporary  structures  upon  the  completion  of  his 
yacht,  he  explored  the  bays  and  rivers  on  the  coasts  of  Con- 
necticut, Rhode  Island,  and  Massachusetts.  Here  he  found 
Christiaensen's  ship  from  Manhattan,  in  charge  of  Cornelis 
Hendricksen ;  and  having  exchanged  vessels  with  him,  Block 
returned  to  Holland.  In  the  meanwhile,  Fort  Nassau  was 
built  by  Christiaensen,  on  Castle  Island,  a  little  below  Albany, 
as  a  warehouse  and  military  defense  for  the  traders. 

Previous  to  Block's  return  to  Amsterdam,  the  States-Gen- 
eral had  passed  an  Octroy,  granting  and  conceding  that 
"  whosoever  shall  from  this  time  forward  discover  any  new 
passages,  havens,  lands,  or  places,  shall  have  the  exclusive 
right  of  navigating  to  the  same  for  four  voyages."  The 
merchants  who  had  employed  Block,  encouraged  by  the 
results  of  his  voyage,  formed  an  Association,  and  lost  no  time 
in  taking  the  steps  necessary  to  secure  to  themselves  the 
special  privileges  guaranteed  in  the  general  ordinance. 
Through  their  deputies  at  the  Hague,  they  laid  before  the 
States-General  a  map  and  report  of  the  newly-explored 
countries,  which  now,  (1614,)  for  the  first  time,  received  the 
name  of  NEW-NETHERLAND.  Their  High  Mightinesses  having 
granted  their  request,  they  assumed  the  title  of  "  The  United 
New-Netherland  Company,"  and  enjoyed  for  three  years 
from  January,  1615,  the  exclusive  trade  "  of  all  lands  from  the 
fortieth  to  the  forty-fifth  degree  of  latitude.*" 

In  the  spring  of  161 Y,  Fort  Nassau  was  destroyed  by  a 
freshet,  and  a  new  fortified  post  was  erected  by  the  traders 
on  the  main  land,  on  a  commanding  eminence  called  Tawass- 
gunshee,  at  the  mouth  of  Norman's  Kill,  immediately  south 
of  the  present  city^of  Albany. 

*  Brodhead,  N.  Y.  60,  et  seq. 


AND   SETTLEMENT    OF    MANHATTAN.  21 

On  the  expiration  of  the  Company's  charter  in  1618,  the 
trade  of  the  Manhattans  was  thrown  open,  and  many  vessels, 
heretofore  excluded,  resorted  thither  for  traffic. 

The  next  important  movement  affecting  the  interests  of 
New-Netherland,  was  the  establishment  by  charter,  in  1621, 
of  the  Dutch  West  India  Company.  The  central  power  of 
this  Association  was  divided,  for  the  more  efficient  exercise  of 
its  functions,  among  five  branches  or  chambers,  located  in  the 
different  cities  of  the  Netherlands,  the  managers  of  which 
were  styled  Lords  Directors.  That  of  Amsterdam  was  the 
principal ;  and  to  it  was  assigned  the  management  of  affairs 
in  New-Netherland.  The  general  supervision  and  govern- 
ment of  the  Company  were  lodged  in  an  Assembly  or  Col- 
lege of  nineteen  delegates.  This  Company,  with  the  appro- 
bation of  the  States-General,  appointed  the  Director-General, 
and  all  other  officers,  civil,  military,  judicial,  and  executive. 
"  The  profit  and  increase  of  trade"  was  its  main  object,  al- 
though it  was  expected  to  promote  colonization.  Two  years 
elapsed  before  the  company  was  prepared  to  go  into  operation ; 
the  trade  of  New-Netherland,  however,  was  constantly  in- 
creasing. 

In  1623,  thirty  families  were  dispatched  from  Holland, 
and,  upon  entering  Hudson  river,  eight  men  were  left  to  take 
possession  of  Manhattan  Island,  and  eighteen  families  were 
taken  to  the  neighborhood  of  Albany.  The  remainder  were 
sent  to  locate  upon  the  Connecticut  and  Delaware  rivers  and 
the  Wallabout.  This  was  the  first  attempt  at  colonization. 

In  1624,  Cornelius  Jacobsen  May  was  appointed  First 
Director  of  New-Netherland,  and  during  his  administration, 
Fort  Orange,  which  had  been  commenced  the  year  previous, 
was  completed. 

During  1625,  forty-five  new  settlers  were  added  to  the 
population  of  New-Netherland;  but  it  was  not  till  1626 


22  OUTLINE    OF   THE    DISCOVERY 

thai  any  permanence  was  given  to  the  colony  at  Manhattan. 
In  this  year  Peter  Minuit  commenced  his  administration  as 
Director-General,  and  a  council  of  six  individuals  was  ap- 
pointed for  the  administration  of  affairs.  The  island,  here- 
tofore occupied  by  mere  sufferance,  was  purchased  from  the 
natives  for  twenty-four  dollars.  Fort  Amsterdam*  was  com- 
menced near  the  Battery,  and  became  the  head-quarters  of 
the  Government ;  and  religious  services,  in  the  absence  of  a 
regular  clergyman,  were  commenced  by  the  reading  of  the 
Scriptures  and  the  Creed,  by  the  Consolers  of  the  Sick.  This 
may  be  deemed  the  commencement  of  a  city  now  unrivalled 
in  the  western  world. 

Compelled  by  the  hostility  of  the  neighboring  Indians, 
the  eight  families  now  constituting  the  colony  at  Fort 
Orange,  and  the  settlers  on  the  Delaware,  removed  to  Man- 
hattan ;  so  that,  in  1628,  the  population  of  Manhattan 
amounted  to  two  hundred  and  seventy.  But  serious  causes 
operated  to  prevent  the  prosperity  of  the  colony.  The  In- 
dians were  unfriendly,  difficulties  existed  between  the  colony 
and  the  settlements  in  New-England  and  on  the  Delaware; 
and  the  colonists  received  but  little  attention  from  the  West 
India  Company,  in  consequence  of  their  commercial  interest 
being  involved  in  the  war  then  existing  between  Holland 
and  Spain.  By  the  Charter  of  Privileges  and  Exemptions 
granted  to  the  Patroons,  in  1629,  colonies  were  established 
beyond  Manhattan,  and  the  commerce  of  New-Netherlands 
was  prosperous,  the  imports,  in  1632,  amounting  to  $57,200; 
but  the  small  community  located  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort 
Amsterdam,  being  principally  engaged  in  agricultural  pur- 

*  This  fort  was  between  Whitehall  and  State  streets,  directly 
facing  the  Bowling  Green.  The  "  Government  House"  afterwards 
occupied  this  site. 


AND    SETTLEMENT    OF   MANHATTAN.  23 

suits,  supported  themselves,  in  the  absence  of  supplies  from 
the  fatherland,  with  great  difficulty. 

Minuit,  who  was  recalled  in  1632,  had  done  much  for  the 
advancement  of  trade,  to  which  his  attention  had  been 
chiefly  directed ;  but  the  affairs  of  the  colony  were  far  from 
possessing  any  considerable  degree  of  stability.  Several 
families  of  Manhattan  returned  with  Minuit  to  Holland,  and 
for  twelve  months  the  colony  was  left  without  a  Director- 
General  ;  when  the  West  India  Company,  learning  that  the 
English,  who  had  for  some  years  laid  claim  to  the  country, 
were  making  preparations  to  establish  settlements  in  certain 
portions  of  the  territory  under  their  jurisdiction,  sent  over 
Wouter  Van  T  wilier  as  Director-General,  accompanied  by 
one  hundred  and  four  soldiers ;  the  first  military  force  in  the 
colony.  A  certain  degree  of  security  against  the  encroach- 
ments of  the  Indians  and  English  was  now  established; 
prompt  and  energetic  measures  for  the  more  efficient  manage- 
ment of  the  internal  affaire  of  the  colony  were  adopted,  and 
the  individual  interests  and  prosperity  of  the  settlers  were 
provided  for ;  all  of  which  imparted  an  impetus  which 
enabled  the  brave  and  industrious  pioneers  at  Manhattan  to 
overcome  all  the  difficulties  from  within,  and  foes  from  with- 
out, with  which  for  many  years  they  were  called  to  contend : 
and  it  is  at  this  period  we  shall,  in  the  subsequent  chapter,  take 
up  the  subject  of  the  establishment  of  the  oldest  school  now 
in  existence  in  America. 


24  HISTORY   OF   THE   SCn001r 


CHAPTER  II. 

HISTORY  OP  THE  SCHOOL  FROM  ITS  ESTABLISHMENT,  16*33r 
TO  THE  CAPITULATION,  1664  ;  EMBRACING  A  PERIOD  OP 
THIRTY-ONE  YEARS. 

IN  the  "  Historical  Sketch"  we  have  seen  that  the  Dutch 
have  long  been  distinguished  for  their  interest  in  education. 
"  Neither  the  perils  of  war,  nor  the  busy  pursuit  of  gain,  nor 
the  excitement  of  political  strife,  ever  caused  them  to  neglect 
the  duty  of  educating  their  offspring.  Schools  were  every 
where  provided,  at  the  public  expense,  with  good  school- 
masters, to  instruct  the  children  of  all  classes  in  the  usual 
branches  of  education ;  and  the  Consistories  of  the  churches 
took  zealous  care  to  have  their  youth  thoroughly  taught  the 
Catechism,  and  the  Articles  of  Religion."* 

Their  national  prosperity  must  be  attributed,  in  no  small 
degree,  to  their  moral  character ;  and  when,  in  the  course 
of  Providence,  they  commenced  the  colonization  of  New- 
Netherlands,  the  settlers,  noted  for  their  sterling  virtues  and 
adherence  to  the  principles  which  they  had  embraced,  not 
only  brought  with  them  and  established,  as  far  as  the  cir- 
cumstances of  a  new  colony  rendered  it  practicable,  the  civil 
polity  to  which  they  had  been  accustomed,  but  had  secured 
to  them,  by  legal  enactment,  the  institution  of  churches  and 
schools. 

The  West  India  Company,  with  whom  the  work  of  colo- 
nization commenced,  bound  itself  "to  maintain  good  and 

*  Brodhcad,  i.  462. 


1633  TO  1664.  25 

fit  preachers,  schoolmasters,  and  comforters  of  the  sick."* 
**  They  recognized  the  authority  of  the  Established  Church 
of  Holland  over  their  colonial  possessions ;  and  the  specific 
care  of  the  transatlantic  churches  was  early  intrusted  by  the 
Synod  of  North  Holland  to  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam.  By 
that  body  all  the  colonial  clergy  were  approved  and  com- 
missioned. For  more  than  a  century  its  ecclesiastical  su- 
premacy was  affectionately  acknowledged ;  and  long  after  the 
capitulation  of  the  province  to  England,  the  power  of  ordi- 
nation to  the  ministry,  in  the  American  branch  of  the  Re- 
foimed  Dutch  Church,  remained  in  the  governing  Classis  of 
Holland,  or  was  exercised  only  by  its  special  permission."! 

The  establishment  of  schools,  and  the  appointment  of 
schoolmasters,  rested  conjointly  with  the  Company  and  the 
Classis  of  Amsterdam ;  and  it  is  from  this  circumstance  that 
much,  relating  to  the  early  history  of  the  school  under  con 
sideration  has  been  preserved. 

When  the  special  Charter  of  "  Freedoms  and  Exemptions" 
was  granted  by  the  Company  to  the  Patroons,  for  the 
purpose  of  agricultural  colonization,  they  were  not  only 
obligated  to  satisfy  the  Indians  for  the  lands  upon  which 
they  should  settle,  but  were  to  make  prompt  provision  for 
the  support  of  "a  minister  and  schoolmaster,  that  thus  the 
service  of  God  and  zeal  for  religion  may  not  grow  cool,  and 
be  neglected  among  them ;  and  that  they  do,  for  the  first, 
procure  a  comforter  of  the  sick  there."|  Thus  religion  and 
learning  were  encouraged ;  and  we  find  accordingly,  in  the 
early  records,  frequent  references  to  the  judicial  support  and 
maintenance  of  schools  at  Fort  Orange,  Flatbush,  Fort  Casi- 
mir,  and  other  settlements.  In  the  contract  made  with  the 

*  O'Call.  N.  N.  I.  220.  f  Brodhead,  i.  614, 

\  Vide  Charter  of  "  Privileges  and  Ex«mptkmi."  O'CaH.  N".  TS. 
i.  119. 

2 


26  HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 

'  « 

Rev.  Gideon  Schaets,  when  engaged  as  minister  at  Rens- 
selaerswyck,  he  was  required,  among  other  duties,  "  To  use 
all  Christian  zeal  there  to  bring  up  both  the  heathens  and 
their  children  in  the  Christian  religion.  To  teach  also  the 
Catechism  there,  and  instruct  the  people  in  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, and  to  pay  attention  to  the  office  of  schoolmaster  for 
old  and  young.  And  further,  to  do  every  thing  fitting  and 
becoming  a  public,  honest,  and  holy  teacher,  for  the  advance- 
ment of  divine  service  and  church  exercise  among  the  young 
and  old.  And  in  case  he  should  take  any  of  the  heathen 
children  to  educate,  he  was  to  be  indemnified  therefor  as  the 
Commissioners  shall  think  proper."*  This  is  not  the  only 
instance  where  public  provision  was  made  by  our  ancestors 
for  the  education  of  all  classes,  including  even  the  children 
of  the  natives. 

The  course  most  commonly  pursued,  when  a  colony  was 
to  be  established,  was,  to  have  a  schoolmaster  accompany 
the  settlers,  and,  to  a  certain  extent,  conduct  religious  services. 
After  habitations  were  erected,  and  the  settlement  had  as- 
sumed a  warrantable  degree  of  stability,  it  was  provided  with 
a  minister.  A  settlement  on  the  Delaware  furnishes  a  case 
in  point.  Settlers  were  encouraged  to  proceed  to  New- 
Amstel  by  certain  conditions,  thirty-five  in  number,  the 
seventh  of  which  was,  "  The  city  of  Amsterdam  shall  send 
thither  a  proper  person  for  schoolmaster,  who  shall  also  read 
the  Holy  Scriptures  in  public,  and  set  the  Psalms"  The 
eighth  article  stipulated,  "  The  city  of  Amsterdam  shall  also 
provide,  as  soon  as  convenient,  for  the  said  schoolmaster." 
When  the  population  should  amount  to  two  hundred,  a 
minister  and  Consistory  were  to  be  appointed.  Accordingly, 
about  one  hundred  and  sixty-seven  colonists  embarked,  ac- 
companied by  "EvertPittersen,vt\io  had  been  approved, after 

*  O'CaU.  N.  N.  ii.  667. 


PROM  1633  TO  1664.  27 

examination  before  the  Classis,  as  schoolmaster  and  Zieken- 
trooster,"  "  to  read  God's  Word,  and  lead  in  singing."  Not- 
withstanding disasters  at  sea,  the  colony  was  soon  organized 
under  auspices  favorable  to  its  prosperity.  "  The  religious 
instruction  of  the  colonists  was  superintended  by  Pietersen," 
until  the  arrival,  a  few  months  afterwards,  of  Domine  Eve- 
rardus  Welius,  accompanied  by  about  four  hundred  new 
emigrants.  A  church  was  immediately  organized,  and  two 
elders  were  appointed,  with  "  Pietersen  as  fore-singer,  Zieken- 
trooster,  and  deacon,"  with  a  colleague.  The  colony  seemed 
very  prosperous,  and  was  augmented  by  thirty  families  from 
Manhattan.* 

Creditable  in  the  extreme  was  this  determination  of  the 
Dutch  to  transplant  in  the  New  World  those  institutions 
which  had  long  been  the  pride  of  their  native  land ;  and 
notwithstanding  the  many  and  formidable  difficulties  with 
which  these  had  to  contend  in  those  troublous  and  perilous 
times,  their  influence  in  the  community  has  not  yet  ceased. 

Would  that  the  Dutch  descendants  of  the  present  gen- 
eration, the  recipients  of  a  noble  inheritance,  and  participants 
of  its  resultant  blessings,  were  as  ardently  attached  to  these 
institutions,  and  as  zealous  as  weie  their  forefathers  in  sus- 
taining and  extending  them  ! 

1626. — On  the  settlement  of  Manhattan,  we  find  nearly 
the  same  course  pursued  as  in  the  case  of  New-Amstel. 
When  a  colonial  government  was  organized,  1626,  by  Kieft, 
the  first  Director-General,  we  find  the  place  of  a  clergyman 
supplied,  to  a  certain  extent,  by  Sebastian  Jans  Crol,  and 
Jan  Huyck,  two  "  Krank  besoeckers,"  "  Zieken-troosters,"  or 
"  Comforters  of  the  Sick,"  whom  they  were  to  visit  and  pray 
with.  It  was  their  especial  duty  to  read  to  the  people,  on 
the  Sabbath,  "some  texts  out  of  the  Scriptures,  together 
*  Brod.  K  Y.  L  631-633. 


28  HISTORY    OF   THE   SCHOOL, 

with  the  Creeds."  "  Francois  Molemaecker  was  at  the  same 
time  employed  in  building  a  horse-mill,  with  a  spacious  room 
above  to  accommodate  a  large  congregation ;  and  a  tower 
was  also  to  be  erected  in  which  the  bells  brought  from  Porto 
Rico  were  intended  to  be  hung."* 

Thus,  coeval  with  the  arrival  of  the  first  organized  body 
of  colonists,  we  have  the  introduction  of  public  religious 
services;  the  settlers  being  exclusively  from  Holland,  and  of 
the  Reformed  religion. 

Exigency  of  circumstances,  in  a  new  settlement,  sometimes 
demanded  that  the  exercise  of  the  functions  pertaining  to  the 
offices  of  the  minister,  the  scboolmaster,  and  the  Krank- 
besoecker,  devolved  upon  the  same  individual :  so  that  we 
might  with  propriety  be  justi6ed  in  claiming  the  introduction  of 
public  education  as  early  as  1626 ;  but  as  the  term  schoolmaster 
is  not  expressly  applied  to  either  of  the  Kran';-besoeckers,  we 
will  waive  the  position.  It  will  be  observed,  however,  that 
this  peculiarity  of  the  Reformed  Church  was  introduced  into 
Manhattan  previous  to  any  legal  enactment  of  requirement, 
as  it  was  not  until  1629  that  the  condition  was  imposed  of 
appointing  a  "  comforter." 

1633. — In  the  spring  of  1633,  Wouter  Van  Twiller  arrived 
at  Manhattan,  as  the  second  Director-General  of  New- 
Netherlands.  In  the  enumeration  of  the  Company's  officials 
of  the  same  year,  Everardus  Bogardus  is  mentioned  as  offi- 

*  Memoir  on  the  Colonization  of  New-Netherlands,  by  J.  R.  Brod- 
head,  Eeq.;  collected  from  "  Wassenaar'a  Historicbe  VerbaeL"  (Amst. 
1621-1632.)  fa  The  Creed  is  still  read  in  the  churches  in  Holland  by 
the  '  Voorleezers'  or  clerks,  from  the  '  Doop-huy^je'  or  baptistery, 
under  the  pulpit  Until  a  recent  period,  this  custom  was  kept  up  in 
the  Reformed  Dutch  churches  in  this  country."  ii.  N.  Y.  H.  S.  Coll. 
u.  363.  Brod.  N.  Y.  L  165.  Doc.  Hist  N.  Y.  iii.  42. 


FROM  1633  TO  1664.  29 

dating  as  minister  at  Fort  Amsterdam,  and  ADAM  ROE- 
LANDSEN  as  the  fiist  schoolmaster.* 

Here,  then,  in  accordance  with  the  custom  of  the  age,  the 
usage  of  the  home  Government,  and  by  charter  stipulations, 
we  have  the  introduction  of  the  first  schoolmaster  in  Man- 
hattan, establishing,  as  the  sequel  will  prove,  the  foundation 
of  an  institution  which  the  Church  has  never  lost  sight  of; 
and  although  it  is  probable  that  at  times  the  school  was  kept 
somewhat  irregularly,  owing  to  the  unsettled  state  of  affairs 
arising  from  Indian  depredations,  and  the  hostile  attitude 
and  aggressions  of  the  colonists  in  New-England,  yet  the 
records  furnish  direct  and  indisputable  evidence  of  the  efforts 
made  for  its  support  and  continuance.  : 

On  the  arrival  of  Van  Twiller,  he  found  affairs  in  a  sad 
condition,  the  colony  having  been  for  a  year  without  an 
executive  officer.  "  Fort  Amsterdam,  now  dilapidated,  was 
repaired.  A  guard-house  and  barrack  for  the  newly-arrived 
soldiers  were  constructed  within  the  fort;  three  windmills 
were  erected ;  brick  and  frame  houses  were  built  for  the 
Director  and  his  officers ;  small  houses  were  constructed  for 
the  corporal,  the  smith,  the  cooper,  and  the  midwife ;  and 
the  'upper  room'' in  the  mill,  in  which  the  people  had  wor- 
shipped since  1626,  was  replaced  by  a  plain  wooden  build- 
ing, the  first  church^  edifice  of  New- Netherlands,  situate  on 
the  East  river,  in  what  is  now  Broad  street,  between  Pearl  and 
Bridge  streets  ;f  and  near  this  "Oude  Kerck,"  in  Whitehall 
street,  near  Bridge,  a  dwelling-house  and  stable  were  erected 
for  the  use  of  the  Dominie.J 

In  an  extended  list  of  the  officers  and  servants  of  the 

*  Alb.  Rec.  i.  52. 

f  Now  known  us  100  Broad  street.     Alb.  Rec.  x.  335.     Benson's 
Hist.  Mem.  42.     O'Call.  N.  N.  i.  165. 
\  Val.  Man.  Com.  Coun.  1853,  427  et  seq. 


30  HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 

Dutch  West  India  Company,  in  1638,  Rev.  Everardus  Bo- 
gardus  is  again  mentioned  as  minister  at  Fort  Amsterdam, 
where  Adam  Roelantsen  was  still  the  schoolmaster.*  Roe- 
lantsen  is  mentioned  also  as  having  a  lawsuit  this  year  with 
one  Jan  Jansen  ;  and  also  as  te&tifying  in  another  suit,  at  the 
request  of  Rev.  E.  Bogardus.f  The  following  year  he  re- 
signed his  charge,  and  left  the  colony ;  as  in  the  list  of  settlers 
arrived  in  Rensselaerswyck,  in  1639,  we  find  the  name  of 
"  Adam  Roelantsen  Van  Hamelwaard,  previously  school- 
master at  New-Amsterdam."!  Jan  Cornelissen,  carpenter, 
who  had  preceded  him  thither  in  1635,§  possibly  learning 
from  Roelautsen  himself  (as  the  settlement  was  small)  of  the 
vacancy  in  the  school,  subsequently  came  to  New-Amsterdam, 
and  was  appointed  the  schoolmaster. 

In  1642,  the  church  on  Broad  street  having  become  some- 
what dilapidated  and  reproachful  in  appearance,  an  effort 
was  made  to  procure  a  new  one,  and  at  the  same  time  was 
commenced  the  laudable  undertaking  of  building  a  school- 
house  with  suitable  accommodations.  The  Vertoogh,  after 
mentioning  the  efforts  made  to  raise  subscriptions  for  building 
a  new  church,  adds :  " '  The  bowl  has  been  going  round  a 
long  time,  for  the  purpose  of  collecting  money  for  erecting  a 
srkool-house  ;  and  it  has  been  built  with  words;  for,  as  yet, 
the  first  stone  is  not  laid  :  some  materials  only  are  provided. 
The  money,  nevertheless,  given,  for  the  purpose,  has  all 

*  Alb.  Rec.  ii.  13-15.  f  Ibid.  i.  43. 

$  O'Oall.  N.  N.  i.  438.  In  1643,  Roelantsen  is  again  in  New- 
Amsterdam,  purchasing  a  lot  for  a  house  and  garden.  Reg.  Deeds, 
IS".  A.  134.  In  1644,  according  to  the  Baptismal  Records  of  the  Dutch 
Church,  which  commenced  in  1639,  he  bad  a  son  baptized  by  the 
name  of  Daniel.  In  1653,  "Adam  Roelantsen"  was  a  member  of  the 
Burgher  Corps  of  New-Amsterdam.  O'Call.  N.  N.  ii.  569.  Alb. 
Rec.  viii. 

§  O'CalL  N.  N.  i.  435. 


FROM  1633  TO  1664.  31 

found  its  way  out,  and  is  mostly  spent.'     The  church,  how- 
ever, was  commenced  in  the  Fort,  by  John  and  Richard  Ogden. 
It  was  to  be  built  of  stone,  72  feet  long,  52  broad,  and  16 
over  the  ground.     Joachim  Pietersen  Kuyter  was  elected 
deacon,  and  with  Jan  Dam,  Captain  De  Vries,  and  Director 
Kieft,  formed  the  first  Consistory  to  superintend  its  erection."* 
"  But  in  1646  the  church  was  still  unfinished,  as  the  Director- 
General,  being  distressed  for  money,  had  applied  to  his  own 
use  the  funds  appropriated ;  and  from  the  same  cause,  the 
laudable  undertaking  of  erecting  a  school-house  had  failed."! 
But  New- Amsterdam  had,  indeed,  been  experiencing  trou- 
blous  times.      "Even   the  poor-fund   of  the  deaconry  was 
sequestered,  and  applied  to  the  purposes  of  war."     Parties  of 
Indians  roved  about,  day  and  night,  over  Manhattan  Island, 
killing  the  Dutch  not  a  thousand  paces  from  Fort  Amsterdam  ; 
and  no  one  dared  "  to  move  a  foot  to  fetch  a  stick  of  fire- wood 
without  a  strong  escort."     "The  mechanics  who  plied  their 
trades  were  ranged  under  the  walls  of  the  fort ;  all  others 
were  exposed  to  the  incursions  of  the  savages."    For  the  pro- 
tection of  the  few  cattle  which  remained  to  the  decimated 
population,  "  a  good  solid  fence"  was  ordered  to  be  erected 
nearly  on  the  site  of  the  present  Wall  street.     The  authori- 
ties write  :  "  Our  fields  lie  fallow  and  waste ;  our  dwellings 
and  other  buildings  are  burnt.      We '  are  burthened  with 
heavy  families  ;  we  have  no  means  to  provide  necessaries  for 
wives  or  children  ;  and  we  sit  here  amidst  thousands  of  Indi- 
ans and  barbarians,  from  whom  we  find  neither  peace  nor 
mercy."     "At  Manhattan,  and  in  its  neighborhood,  scarcely 
one  hundred  men,  besides  traders,  could  be  found."     Such 
being  the  state  of  affairs,  it  is  not  surprising  that  the  church 

*  Van  Der  Donck'a  Vertoogh.    il  N.  Y.  H.  S.  Coll.  vil  294.     O'Call 
i.  260. 

f  O'CalL  i.  395,  396. 


32  HISTORY    OF    THE    SCHOOL, 

was  unfinished,  and  the  school-house  not  commenced  ;  for  the 
money  which  the  impoverished  commonalty  had  contributed 
to  build  the  school-house  had  "  all  found  its  way  out,"  and 
was  expended  for  the  troops."*  Yet,  notwithstanding  these 
difficulties,  the  subject  was  not  forgotten. 

1647. — In  the  following  year,  1647,  a  new  feature  was  in- 
troduced in  the  government  of  New-Amsterdam  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  Nine  Men.  The  introduction  of  this  description  of  tri- 
bunal furnishes  an  additional  proof  that  Holland  was  the  source 
whence  New-Netherland  derived  its  munici  al  institutions, 
and  shows  how  strongly  its  settlers  were  attached  to  those 
freedoms  with  which  they  were  so  familiar  in  their  father- 
land. 

The  Director  and  Council,  desirous  "  that  the  government 
of  New-Amsterdam  might  continue  and  increase  in  good 
order,  justice,  police,  population,  prosperity,  and  mutual  har- 
mony, and  be  provided  with  strong  fortifications,  a  church,  a 
school,  &c.,"  permitted  the  inhabitants  to  nominate  eighteen 
of  the  most  notable,  reasonable,  honest,  and  respectable  citi- 
zens, from  whom  the  Director  and  Council  selected  nine,  "  as 
is  customary  in  Fatherland."f 

These  Nine  Men  were  the  Representatives  of  the  people. 
They  were  consulted  in  all  matters  of  importance,  were 
invested  with  limited  judiciary  powers,  and  those  who  ap- 
pealed from  their  decision  subjected  themselves  to  a  fine.  Oa 
the  organization  of  this  body,  Director  Stuyvesant,  who  this 
year  superseded  Kieft,  called  their  special  attention,  among 
other  things,  "  to  the  condition  of  the  fort  and  of  thechurcb, 
and  to  the  state  of  public  education  ;"  informing  them  thc'^ 
"  owing  to  the  want  of  proper  accommodations,  no  school  had 
been  held  for  three  months."  Subsequently,  "  he  consented 

•  BrodN.  Y.  L  39,7,  374,  392,  398,41ft. 
f  O'Call.  N.  N.  ii.  31. 


FROM  1633  TO  1664.  33 

to  defray,  on  behalf  of  the  Company,  a  portion  of  the  expenses 
necessary  for  the  encouragement  of  education,  and  to  continue 
such  assistance  in  future,  to  '  promote  the  glorious  work.' " 
"Meanwhile,  he  informed  them  that  a  convenient  place  for  a 
school-house  and  dwelling  for  the  school-master  would  be  pro- 
vided for  the  winter,  either  in  one  of  the  outhouses  of  the 
Fiscaal's  department,  or  any  other  suitable  place  that  the 
Deacons  of  the  church  might  approve."  "  The  arrangements 
for  completing  the  church,  and  for  fostering  the  school,  met 
with  no  objection."  A  plan,  however,  which  he  had  proposed 
for  repairing  the  fort  was  condemned  by  them.* 

It  will  be  observed  that  when  a  school  is  spoken  of  under 
the  Dutch  administration,  special  reference  is  invariably  made 
to  the  official  public  school,  supported  by  the  authorities,  and 
in  connection  with  the  Established  Church,  the  schoolmasters 
whereof  were  appointed  by  the  West  India  Company.  From 
the  first  organization  of  the  school  till  the  year  1808,  when 
a  special  Board  of  Trustees  was  appointed,  the  supervision 
and  management  of  the  school  was  in  the  hands  of  the 
deacons  ;  hence  the  reference  made  to  them  above. 

No  private  school  teachers,  as  will  hereafter  be  shown, 
could  follow  their  calling  without  a  license  from  the  civil  and 
ecclesiastical  authorities. 

The  Records  furnish  the  names  of  some  such  in  the  city  at 
this  period,f  but  the  provision  made  above  is  for  a  school- 
house  and  dwelling  f  r  the  school-master,  under  the  direction 
of  the  deacons  ;  and,  furthermore,  the  statement  that,  for  want 
"of  proper  accommodations,  no  school  had  been  held  for 
three  months,"  must  have  reference  to  the  public  school  in 
connection  with  the  church;  for  one  Jan  Stevenson  was 
actually  teaching  at  the  time,  and  had  been  so  doing  for  five 

*  O'Call.  N.  N.  ii.  41,  42. 
f  N.  Am.  Rec,  102.    Alb.  Rec.  L  T.  81. 
2* 


34  HISTORY    OF    THE    SCHOOL, 

years.  The  same  statement  is  also  conclusive  evidence  of  the 
preexistence  of  the  school ;  the  temporary  suspension  arising 
"  from  want  of  proper  accommodations." 

Jan  Cornelissen  was  the  schoolmaster  for  whom  the  dwell- 
ing was  to  be  provided. 

1649. — In  the  year  1649,  serious  difficulties  arose  between 
the  Nine  Men  on  one  part,  and  the  -Director-General  and  his 
Council,  in  consequence  of  which,  a  delegation  from  the  Nine 
Men,  at  the  head  of  which  was  Adriaen  Van  Der  Donck,  the 
President  of  that  body,  proceeded  to  the  Hague,  and  laid 
before  the  States-General  a  remonstrance,  known  as  the  Ver- 
toogh,  in  which  they  complain  of  many  grievances  existing 
in  the  administration  at  New-Amsterdam.  Speaking  of  the 
Church,  they  say  :  "As  for  its  revenue,  we  know  of  none.  No 
pains  were  taken  by  the  Director  to  create  any.  There  has 
been  a  good  deal  said  about  the  building  of  a  school-house, 
but,  as  yet,  the  first  stone  is  not  laid.  The  funds  collected 
for  this  object  have  been  misapplied.  No  provision  has  been 
made  for  the  poor,  who  had  to  depend  entirely  on  the  congre- 
gation and  a  few  fines  and  offerings.  But  the  greater  part  of 
the  sacred  fund  had  found  its  way  into  the  Company's  hands, 
on  interest,  it  was  pretended,  but,  as  yet,  neither  principal  nor 
interest  was  forthcoming.  Furthermore,  they  desire  that  the 
school  be  provided  with  at  least  two  good  schoolmasters,  so  that 
the  youth  may  be  instructed  and  trained,  not  only  in  reading 
and  writing,  but  also  in  the  knowledge  and  fear  of  the 
Lord."* 

Cornelius  Van  Tienhoven,  the  Schout  or  Sheriff  of  New- 
Amsterdam,  proceeded  to  the  Hague,  and  presented  a  reply 
to  the  Vertoogh,  and  in  answer  to  the  above  says  :  "  It  is 
true  the  new  school-house  has  not  been  built,  but  tliis  was  not 
the  fault  of  the  Director,  who  is  busy  collecting  materials,  but 

*  Hoi.  Doc.  iv.    O'Call.  N.  N.  ii.  114,  120.     ' 


FROM  1633  TO  1664.  35 

of  the  churchwardens  (or  deacons)  who  had  charge  of  the 
funds,  provided  in  part  by  the  commonalty,  and  in  part  by 
subscriptions."  In  the  meanwhile,  Jan  Cornelissen  had  kept 
the  school,  a  place  for  which  had  been  provided ;  and  then 
immediately  adds:  "Other  teachers*  keep  school  in  hired 
houses,  so  that  the  youth  are  furnished  with  the  means  of 
education,"  although  there  is,  as  yet,  no  Latin  school  or 
Academy.  "  If,"  he  adds,  "  the  remonstrants  be  such  friends 
to  religion  and  education  as  they  pretend,  let  them  be  leaders 
in  a  subscription  to  such  laudable  undertakings,  and  not 
complain  as  they  did  when  asked  to  contribute  for  the 
church  and  school-house.''! 

This  Jan  Cornelissen  is  the  second  teacher  mentioned  in 
connection  with  the  public  school  under  the  care  of  the  church. 

The  same  year,  Dominie  Backerus,  who  had  succeeded 
Bogardus  in  1647,  by  the  permission  of  the  Classis,  took 
leave  of  the  church  at  Manhattan,  with  the  intention  of 
returning  to  Holland.  Jan  Cornelissen  J  having  signified  his 
intention  to  resign  his  situation,  Stuyvesant  embraced  the 
opportunity  of  the  Dominie's  return  to  write  earnestly  to  the 
Classis  of  Amsterdam  "for  a  pious,  well- qualified,  and  dili- 
gent schoolmaster."  "  Nothing,"  he  adds,  "  is  of  greater  im- 
portance than  the  right,  early  instruction  of  youth."  § 

Subsequent  to  the  departure  of  Backerus,  Dominie  Mega- 

*  These  undoubtedly  were  Jan  Stevenson  and  Aryaen  Jansen,  ac- 
counts of  whom,  as  schoolmasters,  are  found  from  1643  to  1649,  but  no 
where  as  connected  with  the  Church  School. — N.  Am.  Rec.  v.  31,  150, 
169. 

•f-  ii.  N.  Y.  Hist.  Soc.  Col.  ii.  331.    O'Call.  ii.  123,  126. 

\  In  1653,  Cornelissen  was  working  at  his  trade,  as  he  had  done  in 
Rennselaerswick.— N".  Am.  Rec.  i.  340.     22d  Dec.,  1653,  "Jan  Cornel, 
issen  claims  payment  for  a  building  which  he  had  erected  on  the  land 
which  he  hired  from  Borger  Jarisen." 
§  Cor.  01.  Am.     Brod.  i.  508. 


36  HISTORY    OF    THE   SCHOOL, 

polensis  arrived  in  Manhattan,  on  his  way  from  Rensselaers- 
wyck  to  Holland,  whither  his  wife  had  already  returned. 
The  church  being  vacant,  he  was  solicited  by  Stuyvesant  to 
remain,  as  children  were  every  Sunday  presented  for  baptism, 
*'  sometimes  one,  sometimes  two,  yea,  sometimes  three  and 
four  together."  The  Dominie  being  prevailed  on  to  stay,  was 
formally  installed.* 

1650. — Jacob  Pergens  and  S.  Ryckaerts,  Directors  of  the 
West  India  Company,  in  reply  to  Stuy  vesant'a  letter,  state  : 
M  We  will  make  use  of  the  first  opportunity  to  supply  you 
with  a  well-instructed  schoolmaster ;  and  shall  inform  ourselves 
about  the  person  living  at  Harlem,  whom  your  Honor  re- 
commended."f 

The  Committee  of  the  States-General,  to  whom  the  remon- 
strance above  spoken  of  was  referred,  accorded,  in  1650,  a 
Provisional  Order  for  the  Government  of  'New-Netherland, 
in  which  they  direct  that  three  new  ministers  shall  be  called 
and  supported ;  one  for  Rensselaerswick,  one  for  distant  parts 
of  the  country,  and  one  in  and  around  New-Amsterdam : 
and  the  youth  were  to  be  instructed  by  good  schoolmasters. 
We  accordingly  find  that  the  Rev.  Samuel  Drisius  was  sent  out 
to  assist  "  that  worthy  old  servant,  the  Rev.  Megapolensis."J 

In  the  same  year,  Pergens  and  Ryckaerts  again  write  to 
the  Director-General,  and  say  :  "  We  appoint,  at  your  request, 
a  schoolmaster,  who  shall  also  act  as  Comforter  of  the  sick. 
He  is  considered  an  honest  and  pious  man,  and  shall  embark 
the  fir  t «  pportunity."§ 

In  a  subsequent  letter,  they  write :  "  The  schoolmaster  th.it 
had  been  sent  for,  came  over  with  the  wife  of  Rev.  Megapo- 
lensis,"|  on  her  return  from  Holland  to  Manhattan,  whe  e 
her  husband  had  been  induced  to  remain. 

*  Brod.  N.  Y.  i.  508.  f  Alb.  Rec.  iv.  17. 

$  O'Call.  N.  N".  ii.  184, 1»1.          §  Alb.  Rec.  iv.  23.       |  Ibid.  IT.  8'J. 


FROM  1633  TO  1664.  37 

This  third  teacher  and  successor  to  Cornelissen  was  WIL- 
LIAM VESTEXS. 

In  1654  he  petitioned  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  for  an 
increase  of  salary.* 

1655. — The  following  year  he  withdrew  from  the  school,  and 
Harmanus  Van  Hoboocken  was  appointed  to  supersede  him, 
as  appears  from  the  following  minute  : 

"  Whereas  William  Vestius,  [Vestens,]  Chorister  and 
Schoolmaster  of  this  city,  hath  several  times  earnestly  soli- 
cited leave  to  depart  for  the  Fatherland,  so  is  his  request 
granted  him  ;  and  in  consequence  thereof  have  the  Noble 
Lords  of  the  Supreme  Council,  with  the  consent  of  the  respected 
Consistory  of  this  city,  appointed  Harmanus  Van  Hoboocken 
as  Chorister  and  Schoolmaster  of  this  city,  at  g.35  per  month, 
and  ^.100  annual  expenditures ;  who  promises  to  conduct 
himself  industriously  and  faithfully,  pursuant  to  the  instruc- 
tions already  given,  or  hereafter  to  be  given. 

"Done  in  Am,  N.  Neth.  23  March,  1655. 

(Signed)         NICASIUS  DE  SILLE, 
La  Montagner\ 

The  appointment  of  Vestens  by  the  West  India  Company ; 
his  office  as  Krank-besoecker  ;  his  petition  to  Classis  for  a  rise 
of  salary ;  and  his  formal  dismissal  by  the  Council,  denote  him 
as  the  (third)  teacher  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church  School.^ 

*  Cor.  Cl.  Am.  1654.  f  Alb.  Rec.  xxv.  133. 

\  There  were  others  in  the  city  at  this  time  engaged  in  teaching 
private  schools.  These  wt  re  licensed  by  the  Council;  and  in  conse- 
quence of  the  connection  between  the  Church  and  Government,  its 
sanction  was  necessary.  On  the  application  of  Andries  Hudde  for  a 
license  to  keep  school,  the  Director  and  Council  informed  him  that  they 
would  first  ask  the  opinion  of  the  Ministers  and  the  Consistory.  One 
Jacob  Van  Gorier  having  arrogated  to  himself  to  keep  school,  is  di- 
rected to  apply  for  a  license,  which  he  did  repeatedly,  and  finally 
received  as  answer,  "Nihil  actum."  Permission  was  granted  by  the 
Council  for  Jan  Lubberts  to  teach  reading,  writing,  and  arithmetic, 
"  provided  he  conducted  himself  as  such  a  person  ought  to  do,"  and  so 
of  others.  Alb.  Rec.  ix.  804.  N.  Am.  Rec. 


38  HISTORY    OF    THE    SCHOOL, 

1652. — The  Vertoogh  of  1649  having  eventuated  in  a  provi- 
sional Order  of  Government  for  New-Netherland,  and  to  the 
consequent  adoption  of  such  measures  as  were  deemed  essential 
to  the  promotion  of  its  best  interests;  and  as  among  these  was 
reckoned  the  advancement  of  religion  and  education,  the  vacant 
churches  were  supplied  with  ministers,  and  a  second  public 
school  established,  in  accordance  with  the  desire  of  the  remon- 
strants, that  "  at  least  two  good  schoolmasters  may  be  pro- 
vided, so  that  the  youth  may  be  instructed  and  trained,  not 
only  in  reading  and  writing,  but  also  in  the  knowledge  and 
fear  of  the  Lord."* 

A  seeming  necessity  existed  for  this,  in  the  fact  that  New- 
Amsterdam  contained  at  that  time  a  population  of  seven  or 
eight  hundred  souls ;  f  and,  as  the  result  of  correspondence 
between,  the  Director-General  and  the  Company,  as  to  the 
selection  of  a  teacher,  and  a  suitable  place  for  holding  the 
school,  the  Directors  of  the  West  India  Company,  April  4, 
1652,  wrote  to  Stuyvesant:  "We  reccommend  to  you  Jan 
De  La  Montagne,  whom  we  have  provisionally  favored  with 
the  appointment.  Your  Honor  may  appropriate  the  City 
Tavern  for  this  purpose,  if  this  h  practicable."  A  few  weeks 
subsequently,  they  wrote  to  the  Director  and  Council :  "John 
Mantagne  is  appointed  schoolmaster,  with  a  salary  of  250 
guilders."  J 

Under  the  head  of "  Churches  and  Clergyman,"  which 
sufficiently  identifies  the  school  with  the  church,  we  find  the 

*Ante,  p.  34.  f  Brod.  N.  Y.  i.  548. 

f  Alb.  Rec.  iv.  68.  The  City  Tavern,  subsequently  named  the  Stadt 
Huys  or  City  Hall,  stood  on  the  corner  of  Pearl  street  and  Coenties 
alley.  This  spot  was  occupied  in  1775  by  BrinckerhofF  <fc  Van  Wyck  ; 
in  1806,  by  Abraham  Brincforhoff,  and  in  1825  by  his  heirs.  Moulton, 
i.  27.  The  present  site  is  known  as  71  and  73  Pearl  street.  For  view 
and  description  of  this  ancient  edifice,  vide  Val.  Man.  Com.  COUD.  1852, 
pp.  378,403. 


FROM  1633  TO  1664.  39 

following :  "  On  the  petition  of  John  Morice  De  La  Montagne, 
the  Director-General  and  Council  command  the  Comptroller 
to  pay  the  supplicant  three  or  four  months  of  his  wages."* 

*Alb.  Rec.  vi.  49.  "While  Montagne,  as  an  official  schoolmaster,  was 
remunerated  from  the  Government  funds,  we  have  Joost  Carelse, 
Adriaen  Van  Ilpendam,  and  others,  instituting  law-suits  against  indi- 
viduals, for  the  payment  of  tuition  in  beavers  and  shillings. — Alb.  Rec. 
x.  N.  Am.  Rec. 

The  following  reminiscence.",  illustrative  of  things  an  they  were,  are 
deemed  worthy  of  insertion.  The  tjuaiut  and  elliptical  language  in 
which  the  latter  is  given,  is  characteristic  of  the  author,  Judge  Benson. 
In  his  memoir,  read  before  the  New- York  Historical  Society  in  1816, 
speaking  of  John  De  La  Montagne,  ordinarily  pronounced,  Jan  Mon- 
tagne, sexton  of  the  old  Dutch  church  in  Garden  street,  he  says .  "  I 
saw  him  at  the  house  of  my  parents ;  I  in  my  earliest  youth,  he  ap- 
proaching to  fourscore.  He  was  on  his  way  to  collect  the  Dominie's 
gelt ;  for  the  Dutch  always  took  care  the  stipend  to  the  minister  should 
be  competent,  that  so  he  never  might  be  straitened  '  to  desire  a  gift' 
He  told  me  his  father  and  grandfather  before  him,  (the  names  of  all 
these  individuals  may  be  found  in  the  old  Directories,)  the  latter  pro- 
bably the  same  as  mentioned  in  the  records,  'Jan  De  La  Montagne, 
Schoolmaster,  with  250  guilders  salary,"  had  been  the  sexton  of  the 
congregation ;  so  that,  as  I  have  it  from  the  relation  of  others,  the  suc- 
cessive incumbenfs,  having  been  as  well  of  the  same  Christian  as  sur- 
name, the  name  had,  as  it  were,  become  the  name  of  the  office,  like 
Den  Keyser,  the  Caesar,  the  Emperor;  and  accordingly,  wht-n  the  Eng- 
lish, having  built  a  church,  had  also  a  sexton,  the  Dutch  children, 
and  not  irnpo-sible  some  adults,  called  him, '  De  Engelishe  Jan  Mon- 
tagne.' He  told  me  his  grandfather  was  the  sexton  when  the  church 
was  within  the  fort.  On  his  (the  third  Jan's)  death,  the  Consistory 
appointed  his  son  Jan,  who  remained  sexton  till  the  dispersion  of  the 
congrt-gation  on  the  invasion  of  the  city,  1776." 

The  Judge  records  also  the  following :  "  There  was  a  day  always 
kept  here  by  the  Dutch,  and  the  keeping  of  it  delegated  by  the  mothers 
to  their  daughters',  still  at  school.  Vrouwen  Dagli,  Woman's  Day  ; 
til*  name  with  the  Valentine's  Day  of  the  Engli-h,  and  although  differ- 
ently, still,  perhaps,  not  less  salutarily  k«-pt.  Every  mother's  daugh- 
ter, furnished  with  a  piece  of  cord,  the  size  neither  too  large  nor  too 


40  HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 

The  fact  that  this  second  school  was  commenced  and  carried 
on  for  a  brief  period,  is  cleaily  established  ;  but  the  absence  of 
any  subsequent  reference  to  it,  leads  to  the  strong  inference 
that  its  existence  was  of  short  duration.  The  principal  school, 
however,  was  uninterruptedly  conducted  by  Vestens,  from 
1650  to  1655. 

In  1653,  New-Amsterdam  was  incorporated  with  munici- 
pal privileges;  and  a  court  of  justice,  similar  to  that  of  Am- 
sterdam in  Holland,  consisting  of  a  schout,  burgomasters  and 
schepens,  was  instituted.  Director  Stuyvesant  relinquished 
to  the  burgomasters  the  excise  license*  on  condition  that  they 

small ;  the  twiat  neither  too  hard  nor  too  loose  ;  a  turn  round  the  hand, 
and  then  a  sufficient  length  left  to  serve  as  a  lash;  not  fair  to  have  a 
knot  at  the  end  of  it,  but  fair  to  practise  for  a  few  days  to  acquire  the 
sleight ;  the  law  held  otherwise,  duelling.  On  the  morning  of  the  day, 
the  youngster  never  venturing  to  turn  a  corner  without  first  listening 
•whether  no  warblers  were  behind  it,  no  golden  apples  to  divert  him 
from  the  direct  course  in  this  race.  SchooUioy  Ilippomt-nes  espied, 
pursued  by  Cbarmer  Atalanta ;  he  encumbered  with  bis  satchel,  still 
striving  to  outrun,  and,  to  add  to  his  speed,  bending  forward,  thereby 
giving  the  requisite  roundness  to  the  space  between  the  shoulders: 
she,  too  swift  afoot  for  him,  and  overtaking  him,  »nd  three  (>r  four 
strokes  briskly  and  smartly  laid  on ;  he,  to  avoid  a  further  repetition, 
stopping  and  turning  ;  she  looking  him  steadfast  in  the  eye,  and  per- 
ceiving it  required  all  the  man  in  him  to  keep  back  ihe  tear;  not  all 
the  fruit  in  all  the  orchards  of  the  Hesperide^,  and  in  their  best  bearing 
year,  to  compensate  for  the  exultation  of  the  little  heart  for  the 
moment 

The  boys  requested  the  next  day  should  be  theirs,  and  be  called 
M  inii'-n  Dagh,  Man's  Day ;  but  my  masters  were  told,  the  law  would 
thereby  defeat  its  own  very  purpose,  which  was,  that  they  should,  at  an 
age  and  in  a  way  most  likely  never  to  forget  it,  receive  the  ksson  of 
manliness,  he  U  ne  er  to  strike." 

Tiii-*  privilege  has  been  neglected  for  such  u  length  of  time,  that 
perhaps  it  is  never  again  to  be  recovered. — Ben.  Mem.  41. 

*This  was  the  first  revenue  in  the  treasury  of  .New-Amsterdam. 
Paulding,  34. 


FROM   1633  TO  1664.  41 

paid  out  of  it  the  salaries  of  the  Ecclesiastique,  to  wit :  one 
of  the  ministers,  (Megapolensis  or  Drisius,)  one  precentor, 
beadle,  or  schoolmaster,  and  one  dog-whipper,  now  called 
sexton  ;  and  of  the  Polity,  to  wit :  the  Schout,  both  the  Bur- 
gomasters, the  five  Schepens,  the  Secretary,  and  the  Court 
Messenger.* 

1654. — The  following  year,  1654,  the  Director  and  Council 
re-claimed  the  excise,  "inasmuch  as  the  burgomasters  had 
failed  to  pay  the  clergyman  and  school-master  or  beadle."f 

This  presents  another  valid  proof  of  the  connection  existing 
between  the  school  and  the  church.  "The  schoolmaster 
was  always,  ex-officio,  clerk  or  beadle,  chorister,  and  visiter 
of  the  sick."]; 

1655-56. — We  have  recorded  the  supersedure  of  Vestens, 
in  1655,  byHartnanus  Van  Hoboocken.  The  following  spring, 
1656,  the  first  survey  of  the  city  was  made,  and  it  was  ascer- 
tained to  possess  120  houses,  and  lOOO.souls ;  and  "  the  num- 
ber of  children  at  the  public  school  having  greatly  increased, 
further  accommodation  was  allowed  to  Van  Hoboocken,  the 
schoolmaster."§ 

His  school-house  having  been  burned  partly  down,  he  ad- 
dressed the  following  application  to  the  city  magistrates : 

"  To  the  Heeren  Burgomasters  and  Schepens  of  the  City  of 
New- Amsterdam : 

"  The  reverential  request  of  Harmanus  Van  Hoboocken, 
schoolmaster  of  this  city,  is,  that  he  may  be  allowed  the  use 
of  the  hall  and  side-chamber  of  the  City  Hall,  for  the  use  of 
his  school  and  as  a  residence  for  his  family,  inasmuch  as  he, 
petitioner,  has  no  place  to  keep  school  in,  or  to  live  in  during 
the  winter,  it  being  necessary  that  the  rooms  should  be  made 
warm,  which  cannot  be  done  in  his  own  house,  from  its 

*  Val.  Man.  Com.  Coun.,  1848,  p.  377.     O'CalL  N.  N.  ii.  269. 
t  O'Call.  ii.  270.  \  Watson's  Annals,  166. 

§  O'CalL  ii.  540.     Brod.  i.  623. 


42  HISTORY    OF    THE    SCHOOL, 

unfitness.  The  petitioner  further  represents  that  he  is  bur- 
tbened  with  a  wife  and  children,  ....  so  that  he  is 
much  at  a  loss  how  to  make  accommodation  for  his  family 
and  school-children.  The  petitioner,  therefore,  asks  that  he 
may  use  the  chamber  wherein  Gouert  Coerten  at  present 
dwells.  Expecting  a  favorable  answer, 

HARM.  VAN  HOBOOCKEN."* 

The  reply  of  the  burgomasters  to  this  petition  was  as  fol- 
lows : 

"  Whereas  the  room  which  petitioner  asks  for  his  use  as  a 
dwelling  and  school-room  is  out  of  repair,  and  moreover  is 
wanted  for  other  uses,  it  cannot  be  allowed  to  him.  But, 
as  the  town  youth  are  doing  so  uncommon  well  now,  it  is 
thought  proper  to  find  a  convenient  place  for  their  accommo- 
dation, and,  for  that  purpose,  petitioner  is  granted  one  hun- 
dred guilders  yearly. 

41 4th  Sept.,  1656."f 

The  burning  of  the  schoolhouse,  while  the  youth  were 
"  doing  so  uncommon  -well,"  led  to  the  revival  of  the  question 
of  procuring  a  suitable  edifice ;  and  the  magistrates  of  the 
city,  writing  the  7th  of  the  following  November  to  the  West 
India  Company,  "assert  that  the  only  revenue  to  the  city 
was  that  arising  from  the  excise  of  wines  and  beers,  and  that 
this  was  needed  for  immediate  expenses  in  repairing  the  city 
wall,  the  Schoeyinge,  the  City  Hall,  the  watch  apartments, 
the  building  of  the  schoolhouse,  and  for  several  other  improve- 
ments, and  ask  thereon  the  advice  of  the  Company ."J  It  is 
not  known  what  answer  was  returned  to  this  application,  but 
one  thing  is  certain  :  the  condition  of  the  city  finances  was 
such,  "the  old  debt  made  in  the  time  of  the  English  troubles 
being  yet  unliquidated,"  that  the  schoolhouse  was  not  built. 

*  Paulding,  N.  Am.  40.  f  Paulding,  N.  Am.  41. 

\  Paulding,  N.  Am.  41.  It  was  in  this  year  that  streets  were  first 
regulated.  The  first  tax  list  was  made  out  in  1655,  to  defray  the 
expense  of  fortifying  the  city. 


FROM  1633  TO  1664.  43 

During  the  winter  of  1658-59,  the  colony  at  New-Amstel 
on  the  Delaware  experienced  great  distress.  The  crops  hav- 
ing failed,  famine  and  epidemic  fever,  induced  by  the  nature 
of  the  soil,  nearly  decimated  the  population.  Among  those 
who  fell  victims  to  the  prevailing  disease,  were  the  surgeon, 
the  Commissary,  the  Director's  wife,  and  six  of  his  household, 
and  the  good  Dominie  Welius.  The  Director  himself  died 
also.  In  the  midst  of  these  calamities,  information  was  re- 
ceived from  Maryland  that  Lord  Baltimore  was  about  to 
extend  his  jurisdiction  over  their  territory.  This  added  to 
the  consternation,  and  many  of  the  settlers  sought  safety 
elsewhere,  so  that  in  a  few  months,  famine,  sickness,  and 
desertion  had  reduced  the  population  from  over  600  persons 
to  less  than  30  families.*  Several  of  those  who  left  the  colony, 
came  to  New-Atn4erdam,  and  among  them  was  EVERT 
PIETERSEN,  who  from  the  first  had  been  their  schoolmaster. 
Here  he  was  employed  by  the  Director-General  either  as  a 
colleague  with  Van  ffoboken,  or  as  his  locum  tenens,  while 
he  was  disqualified  from  teaching  by  sickness. 

The  period  of  Pietersen's  engagement  is  not  definitely 
known  ;  but  on  his  return  to  Holland,  he  petitioned  the  West 
India  Company  for  a  permanent  engagement,  the  Director- 
General  and  magistrates  recommending  his  reappointment 

The  Directors  of  the  Company  wrote  to  Stuyvesant,  (1660,) 
"  We  will  consider  the  petition  of  Mr.  Evert  Pielersen,  late 
schoolmaster  and  chorister  in  the  colony  of  the  city,  to  be 
employed  again  in  the  Company's  service,  and  return  thither 
with  his  wife,  and  inquiie  about  his  character,  conduct,  and 
abilities,  when  we  shall  communicate  the  result  to  your 
Honor."f 

*  O'Call.  N.  K  ii.  374-388.    Brod.  N.  Y.  652  et  passim, 
f  Alb.  Rec.  iv.  364. 


44  HISTORY    OF    THE    SCHOOL, 

Subsequently,  the  following  letter,  dated  May,  1661,  was 
received  by  Governor  Stuyvesant: 

"  The  Directors  of  the  West  India  Company,  department  ol 
Amsterdam,  to  the  honorable,  prudent,  beloved,  trusty  Petrus 
Stuyvesant,  Director-General  and  Council,  make  known  : 

"  Whereas  we  have  deemed  it  necessary  to  promote  religious 
worship,  and  to  read  to  the  inhabitants  the  Word  of  God,  to 
exhort  them,  to  lead  them  in  the  ways  of  the  Lord,  and  console 
the  sick,  that  an  expert  person  was  sent  to  New-Netherland  in 
the  city  of  New- Amsterdam,  who  at  the  same  time  should  act 
there  as  Chorister  and  Schoolmaster;  so  is  it,  that  we,  upon  the 
good  report  which  we  have  received  about  the  person  of  Evert 
Pietersen,  and  confiding  in  his  abilities  and  experience  in  the 
aforesaid  services,  together  on  his  pious  character  and  virtues, 
have,  on  your  Honor's  recommendation,  and  that  of  the  magis- 
trates of  the  city  of  New-Amsterdam,  appointed  the  aforesaid 
person  as  Consoler  of  the  sick, Chorister  and  Schoolmaster  at  New- 
Amsterdam  in  New-Netherlands,  which  charge  he  shall  fulfil 
there,  and  conduct  himself  in  these  with  all  diligence  and  faith- 
fulness ;  so  as  we  expect  that  he  shall  give  others  a  good  exam- 
ple, so  as  it  becomes  a  pious  and  good  Consoler,  Clerk,  Chorister 
and  Schoolmaster ;  regulating  himself  in  conformity  to  the  in- 
structions which  he  received  herefron  the  Consistory,  and  prin- 
cipally to  the  instructions  which  he  received  from  us,  which  he 
shall  execute  in  every  point  faithfully  ;  wherefore,  we  command 
all  persons,  without  distinction,  to  acknowledge  the  aforesaid 
Evert  Petersen  as  consoler,  clerk,  chorister,  and  schoolmaster  in 
New-Amsterdam  in  New-Netherlands,  and  not  to  molest,  disturb, 
or  ridicule  him  in  any  of  these  offices,  but  rather  to  offer  him 
every  assistance  in  their  power,  and  deliver  him  from  every 
painful  sensation,  by  which  the  will  of  the  Lord  and  our  good 
intentions  shall  be  accomplished. 

"  Done  by  the  Department  of  Amsterdam,  on  the  2d  of  May, 
XVIC  and  sixty-one. 

"  (Signed,)  ABRAM  WILMERDONCX. 

"  By  order  of  him, 

LOWER  STOOD.  "  C.  VAN  SEVENTER."* 

In  a  few  days,  another  letter  from  the  same  source,  dated 
May  9th,  1661,  was  received,  in  which  Pk-tersen's  salary  is 
fixed,  and  instructions  given  with  respect  to  the  books  he 
would  need  as  Krank-besoecker. 

*Alb.  Rec.  viii.  321. 


FROM  1633  TO  1664.  45 

"Honorable,  prudent,  beloved  Trustees: 

"Our  last  was  of  the  llth  of  April,  by  the  way  of  Curasoa, 
of  which  we  now  have  enclose;!  the  duplicate;  since  which 
period,  nothing  has  occurred  here  of  consequence — i.  e.,  which 
deserves  to  be  mentioned — as  only,  that  we  have  engaged,  on 
your  Honors'  recommendation  and  that  of  the  magistrates  of 
the  city  of  New- Amsterdam,  Mr.  Evert  Pietersen  as  schoolmas- 
ter and  clerk,  upon  a  salary  of  g.36  per  month,  [$15,]  and 
g.  125  [$52  +  ]  annually  for  his  board,  who  is  now  embarked  in 
the  ship  the  Gilded  Beaver,*  but  not  with  his  wife,  whose  indispo- 
sition, as  he  said,  prevented  her  departure.  And  whereas  he 
solicited  to  be  supplied  with  some  books  and  stationery,  which 
would  be  of  service  to  him  in  that  station,  so  did  we  resolve  to 
send  you  a  sufficient  quantity  of  these  articles,  as  your  Honor 
may  see  from  the  invoice.  Your  Honor  ought  not  to  place  all 
these  at  his  disposal  at  once,  but  from  time  to  time,  when  he 
may  be  in  want  of  these,  whe*  his  account  ought  directly  to  be 
charged  with  its  amount;  so,  too,  he  must  be  charged  with  all 
such  books  of  which  he  may  be  in  want  as  a  consoler  of  the 
sick,  which  he  might  have  obtained  from  your  Honor,  which 
afterwards  might  be  reimbursed  to  him,  whenever  he,  ceasing 
to  serve  in  that  capacity,  might  return  these ;  all  this  must  be 
valued  at  the  invoice  price.'  t 

This  correspondence  establishes  Evert  Pietersen  as  the 
sixth  schoolmaster  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church  school. 

1660-1661.  —  Governor  Stuyvesant's  mansion  J  was 
erected  on  a  large  "  bouwery"  which  the  Director-General 
purchased  in  or  previous  to  the  year  1649.  Settlers  gradu- 
ally located  in  this  vicinity,  and  the  plantation,  or  the 
"  bouwery,"  became  a  sort  of  "  stopping-place  and  the  plea- 
sure-ground of  the  Manhattans."  In  the  year  1660,  arrange- 
ments were  made  for  conducting  divine  service  herer  under 

*  Doc.  Hist.  N.  Y.  iii.  58.  f  Alb-  Rec  iv-  8>73- 

£  This  building  stood  east  of  the  Third  Avenue,  between  Twelfth 
and  Thirteenth  streets.  The  exact  situation  of  Stuyvesant's  estate 
may  be  found  on  a  map  obtained  from  Cornelius  De  Witt,  Esq.,  VaL 
Man.  Com.  Coun.,  1852,  462.  The  "old  pear  tree,"  still  standing  at 
the  junction  of  Thirteenth  street  and  the  Third  Avenue,  vras  near  the 
Governor's  dwelling. 


46  HISTORY    OF   THE   SCHOOL, 

the  following  circumstances :  Dominie  Selyns  was  this  year 
installed  as  the  first,  clergyman  of  the  church  in  Brooklyn, 
which  consisted  of  24  members;  the  population  of  the  vil- 
lage being  134  persons.  The  bounds  of  the  Dominie's  charge 
included  "the  Ferry,  the  Waal-bogt,  and  Gujanes."  "As 
the  people  there  were  unable  of  themselves  to  pay  his  salary, 
they  petitioned  the  Council  for  assistance,  and  Stuyvesant 
individually  agreed  to  contribute  two  hundred  and  fifty  guil- 
ders, provided  Dominie  Selyns  would  preach  a  sermon  on 
Sunday  afternoons  at  the  "Director's  bouwery,  on  the  island 
of  Manhattan.  To  this  arrangement  the  Dominie  assented." 
"  Thither  the  people  came  also  from  the  city  for  evening  ser- 
vice."* 

The  establishment  of  church  service  at  the  bouwery,  and 
the  remote  distance  which  the  children  in  its  vicinity  were 
from  Pietersen's  school,  at  the  lower  extremity  of  the  island, 
rendered  it  necessary  to  procure  a  chorister  and  schoolmaster. 
Accordingly,  we  find  the  following  : 

"Order  in  Council. — Present,  the  Director-General,  Petrus 
Stuyvesant,  and  the  Hon.  Johan  de  Decker. 

"  Whereas,  Harman  Van  Hoboocken,  before  schoolmaster 
and  chorister,  was  removed  because  another  was  sent  to 
replace  him  [Pietersen]  by  the  Lords  Directors  and  the  CON- 
BISTORT,  solicits  to  be  employed  again  in  one  or  other  man- 
ner in  the  Company's  service,  so  is  he  engaged  as  Adelborst, 
and  allowed  10  guilders  per  month,  and  175  g.  for  board 
from  27th  Oct.,  1661. 

"Nota:  Whereas  the  aforesaid  Harman  is  a  person  of 
irreproachable  life  and  conduct,  so  shall  he  be  employed  on 
the  bouwery  of  the  Director-General  as  schoolmaster  and 
clerk,  [Voorleser,]  with  this  condition,  that  the  Director- 
General,  whenever  his  service  might  be  wanted  for  the 

*Brod.  C80-681. 


FROM  1633  TO  1664.  47 

Company,  as  Adelbor?t,  shall  replace  him  by  another  expert 
person."*  So  that  from  this  date,  until  after  the  capitula- 
tion, there  were  two  schools  under  the  care  of  the  Consistory, 
Pietersen's,  at  or  near  Fort  Amsterdam,  and  Van  Hoboocken's, 
on  the  Bouwery.  "  The  church  at  New-Amsterdam  was 
now  in  a  flourishing  condition  under  the  administration  of 
Megapolensis  and  Drisius."f 

The  year  following,  1662,  the  burgomasters  petitioned  the 
"  noble,  great,  and  respectful  Director-General  and  Council 
in  New-Netherland,"  to  grant  a  lot  of  ground  in  Brewer 
street,^  (in  the  vicinity  of  Whitehall  and  Stone  streets,)  oppo- 
site the  lot  of  Johannes  de  Peyster,  for  a  school-house,  and 
also  a  lot  outside  the  gates  for  a  burying-ground  ;"  and 
the  Director-General  and  Council  "  deem  it,  for  various  rea- 
sons, more  proper  that  the  school-house  was  constructed  on 
a  part  of  the  present  churchyard,"§  i.  e.,  within  the  fort. 

There  is  no  evidence  to  support  the  conclusion  that  the 
schoolhouse  was  built  as  contemplated. 

1664. — In  1664,  Evert  Pietersen  still  remained  as  the 
schoolmaster ;  ||  and  on  the  17th  day  of  March,  the  Director- 
General  and  Council  issued  an  edict,  requiring  the  practice 

*Alb.  Rec.  xix.  383.  Governor  Fish,  in  a  letter  to  the  author, 
writes :  "  I  have  an  impression,  although  it  is  but  vague  and  indefinite, 
that  Mr.  Stuyvesant  pointed  out  to  me  the  location  of  the  old  school, 
house,  as  situate  on  what  now  is  the  site  of  Tompkins  Market,  about 
the  corner  of  Sixth  street  and  Hall  Place."  It  is  well  known  that 
Governor  Stuyvesant  provided  for  the  education  of  the  colored  per- 
sona on  his  extensive  bouwery,  and  it  is  highly  probable  that  Van 
Hoboocken  had  them  under  his  instruction. 

f  Brod  681. 

J  Here  were  several  breweries.  This  was  the  first  street  regulated 
and  paved  in  New- Amsterdam ;  hence  its  present  name  (Stone  street). 

§  Alb.  Rec.  xx.  39,  40.  « 

||  N.  Am.  Rec.  v.  428. 


48  HISTORY    OV   THE   SCHOOL, 

of  a  custom  long  known  in  the  fatherland,  and  productive  of 
good  wherever  conformed  to,  but  which  at  the  present  day, 
with  us,  has  grown  into  sad  desuetude ;  to  wit,  "  the  public 
catechising  of  the  children."  In  view  of  the  beneficial  results 
accruing  from  it,  both  to  the  children  and  the  Church,  the 
immediate  revival  of  this  good  custom  is  greatly  to  be  de- 
sired. 

The  first  civil  ordinance  in  New^Amsterdam  enjoining* 
this  practice  was  as  follows ;  and  it  speaks  creditably  of  the 
youth-loving  and  God-loving  hearts  of  its  authors : 

"  Whereas,  it  is  highly  necessary  and  of  great  consequence 
that  the  youth,  from  their  childhood,  is  well  instructed  in- 
reading,  writing,  and  arithmetic,  and  principally  in  the  prin- 
ciples and  fundaments  of  the  Christian  religion,  in  conformity 
to  the  lesson  of  that  wise  King  Solomon,  '•Learn  the  youth 
the  first  principles,  and  as  he  grows  old,  he  shall  then  not 
deviate  from  it ;'  so  that  in  time  such  men  may  arise  from 
it,  who  may  be  able  to  serve  their  country  in  Church  or  in 
State ;  which  being  seriously  considered  by  the  Director- 
General  and  Council  in  New-Netherland,  as  the  number  of 
children  by  God's  merciful  blessing  has  considerably  increased, 
they  have  deemed  it  necessary,  so  that  such  an  useful  and 
to  our  [us]  God  agreeable  concern  may  be  more  effectually 
promoted,  to  recommend  the  present  schoolmaster,  and  to 
command  him,  so  as  it  is  done  by  this,  that  they  [Pietersen, 
the  Principal,  and  Van  Hoboocken,  of  the  branch  school  on 
the  Bouwery]  on  Wednesday,  before  the  beginning  of  the 
sermon,  with  the  children  intrusted  to  their  care,  shall  ap- 
pear in  the  church  to  examine,  after  the  close  of  the  sermon, 
each  of  them  his  own  scholars,  in  the  presence  of  the  reverend 
ministers  and  elders  who  may  there  be  present,  what  they, 

*  The  custom,  introduced  from  fatherland,  bad  previously  obtained 
in  New  N«therland. 


FROM  1633  TO   1664.  49 

in  the  course  of  the  week,  do  remember  of  the  Christian  com- 
mands and  catechism,  and  what  progress  they  have  made ; 
after  which  the  children  shall  be  allowed  a  decent  recrea- 
tion. 

"Done  in  Amsterdam,  New-Netherland,  this  17th  March, 
1664-,  by  the  Director-General  and  Council."* 

About  thtoo-yeafs-arter-tiiis,  (12th  March,  1664,)  an  event 
transpired  in  England,  which  was  soon  to  issue  in  a  change 
in  the  name,  government,  and  destiny  of  New- Amsterdam, 
"which  now  contained  a  population  of  1500  souls,  and  wore 
an  air  of  preat  prosperity,"  notwithstanding  the  sad  reverses 
it  had  experienced.  On  the  12th  of  March,  James  II. 
granted  to  his  brother,  Duke  of  York  and  Albany,  the  terri- 
tory lying  between  the  Connecticut  and  Delaware  rivers 
including  all  the  possessions  of  New-Netherland. 

In  August  following,  the  Duke's  squadron,  under  the 
command  of  Colonel  Richard  Nicolls,  consisting  of  four  ships, 
carrying  94  guns  and  450  soldiers,  was  off  New-Amsterdam, 
opposite  to  which,  just  below  Brooklyn,  was  an  encampment 
of  volunteers  from  New-England  and  the  Long  Island  vil- 
lages. To  resist  this  force,  the  city  was  wholly  unprepared ; 
for  although  the  fort  mounted  24  guns,  its  single  wall  of 
earth  rendered  it  by  no  means  invulnerable.  It  was  garri- 
soned by  only  150  soldiers;  and  though  there  were  250  of 
the  citizens  able  to  bear  arms,  they  were  not  disposed  to 
hazard  their  lives  in  a  vain  resistance.  Moreover,  "there 
was  scarcely  six  hundred  pounds  of  serviceable  powder  in 
store."  Upon  the  faith  of  Nicolls'  promise  to  deliver  back 
the  city  and  fort,  "  in  case  the  difference  of  the  limits  of  this 
province  be  agreed  upon  betwixt  his  Majesty  of  England  and 
the  high  and  mighty  States- General,"  Stuyvesant  consented 
to  capitulate  upon  terms  which  had  been  mutually  agreed 

*Alb.  Rec.  xxil  100. 
8 


50  HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 

upon  by  commissioners ;  and  on  the  morning  of  the  8th  day 
of  September,*the  Director-General,  at  the  head  of  the  gar- 
rison, having  marched  out  of  Fort  Amsterdam  with  all  the 
honors  of  war,  the  British  took  possession  of  the  city.  The 
name  of  Fort  Amsterdam  was  immediately  changed  to  Fort 
James.  And  though  New-Amsterdam  became  New- York, 
in  name,  the  ascendency  of  the  Dutch  in  numbers  and  cha- 
racter did  not  fail  to  perpetuate  that  influence  which  they 
had  originally  imparted  ;  so  that  even  now,  after  a  period  of 
nearly  two  hundred  years,  notwithstanding  the  vicissitudes 
which  the  city  has  experienced,  and  the  present  heteroge- 
neous character  of  its  population,  there  is  not  wanting 
abundant  and  gratifying  evidence  of  the  early  presence  here 
of  those  who  brought  with  them  "the  liberal  ideas,  and 
honest  maxims,  and  homely  virtues  of  their  fatherland ;  who 
carried  along  with  them  their  huge  clasped  Bibles,  and  left 
them  heir-looms  in  their  families ;  who  introduced  their 
church  and  their  schools,  their  Dominies  and  their  schoolmas- 
ters."* 

RECAPITULATION. 

At  the  close  of  Stuyvesant's  administration,  in  consequence 
of  charter  provisions,  and  the  efforts  of  the  clergy,  "  schools 
existed  in  almost  every  town  and  village"!  *n  New-Nether- 
land :  of  this  the  records  furnish  abundant  evidence.  The 
whole  system  was  but  a  counterpart  of  that  to  which  the 
settlers  had  been  accustomed  in  their  native  land.  From 
the  material  furnished  in  this  chapter,  it  is  evident  that 
education  received  a  considerable  degree  of  attention  in  New- 
Amsterdam  ;  and  that  there  was  a  public  school  therein, 
dispensing  education  gratuitously,  the  teachers  receiving 
their  appointment  and  remuneration  from  the  constituted 

*  Brod.  chap.  xi.  paasim.  f  O'Call.  N.  N.  ii.  646. 


FEOM  1633  TO  1664.  51 

authorities,  is  undoubtedly  established.  The  following  is  a 
summary  of  facts  connected  therewith: 

Adam  Roelandsen,*  first  schoolmaster;   1633  to  1639. 

Efforts  made  by  commonalty  to  procure  suitable  accom- 
modations for  the  school,  1642,  1647,  1652,  1656,  1662. 

Jan  Cornelissen,  second  schoolmaster;  to  1650. 

William  Vestens,  third  schoolmaster  and  Kranck-besoecker ; 
1650  to  1655. 

Jan  De  la  Montagne,  fourth  schoolmaster ;  in  City  Tavern, 
1652. 

Harmanus  Van  Hoboken,  successor  to  Vestens,  fifth  school- 
master; 1655-1664. 

Evert  Pieterson,  sixth  schoolmaster;  1661-1664. 

Introduction  of  catechetical  exposition  to  schools  of  the 
last-named  schoolmasters ;  1661. 

OTHER      FACTS      CONNECTED      WITH      EDUCATION      IN      NEW- 
AMSTERDAM    DURING    THE    PERIOD    OF   THIS    CHAPTER. 

Previous  to  1664,  the  individuals  who  had  been  engaged 
in  teaching  school  on  their  own  account,  under  license  from 
the  conjoined  civic  and  ecclesiastical  authorities,  were :  Jan 
Stevensen,  Aryaen  Jansen,  Andries  Hudde,  Jacob  Van  Cor- 
lear,  Jan  Lubherts,  Joost  Carelse,  Adriaen  Van  Ilpendam, 
Juriaense  Becker,  and  Johannes  Van  Gelaer.f 

In  addition  to  the  means  of  education  thus  afforded  by  the 
free  church  schools,  and  those  taught  privately,  many  of  the 
inhabitants  desired  the  establishment  of  an  academy,  Latin, 
or  high  school. 

Dominie  Drisius,  when  appointed  as  colleague  with  Mega- 
polensis,  in  1652,  had  called  the  attention  of  the  West  India 

*  The  names  of  all  these  schoolmasters  are  found  enrolled  as  mem- 
bers of  the  Dutch  Church, 
f  Alb.  and  N.  Am.  Rec. 


f»2  HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 

Company  to  this  subject ;  and  it  is  highly  probable  that  the 
abortive  attemp't  of  Montagne,  at  the  City  Tavern,  was  the 
result. 

"  The  foundation  of  the  first  ACADEMY  and  classical  school 
in  the  city  was  based  upon  the  following  representation, 
which  was  transmitted  to  Holland,  19th  September,  1658, 
as  part  of  a  petition  of  the  burgomasters  and  schepens  to  the 
West  India  Company. 

"It  is  represented  that  the  youth  of  this  place  and  the 
neighborhood  are  increasing  in  number  gradually,  and  that 
most  of  them  can  read  and  write ;  but  that  some  of  the  citi- 
zens and  inhabitants  would  like  to  send  their  children  to  a 
school  tha  Principal  of  which  understands  Latin,  but  are  not 
able  to  do  so  without  sending  them  to  New-England ;  fur- 
thermore, they  have  not  the  means  to  hire  a  Latin  school- 
master, expressly  for  themselves,  from  New-England,  and 
therefore  they  ask  that  the  West  India  Company  will  send 
out  a  fit  person  as  Latin  schoolmaster,  not  doubting  that  the 
number  of  persons  who  will  send  their  children  to  such 
teacher  will  from  year  to  year  increase,  until  an  academy 
shall  be  formed,  whereby  this  place,  to  great  splendor  will 
have  attained,  for  which,  next  to  God,  the  Honorable  Com- 
pany which  shall  have  sent  such  teacher  here  shall  have  laud 
and  praise.  For  our  own  part,  we  shall  endeavor  to  find  a 
fit  place  in  which  the  schoolmaster  shall  hold  his  school."* 

In  compliance  with  this  petition,  the  West  India  Company 
sent  out  Dr.  Alexander  Carolus  Curtius,  a  Latin  schoolmaster, 
from  Lithuania.  On  the  4th  of  July,  1059,  (when  about 
entering  upon  his  duties,)  he  attended  the  meeting  of  the 
city  magistrates,  to  learn  definitely  the  tenns  upon  which  he 
was  to  be  employed.  The  burgomasters  proposed  to  give 
him,  out  of  the  city  treasury,  five  hundred  guilders  annually, 
*  Pauld.  N.  Am.  41. 


FROM  1633  TO  1664.  53 

and  tendered  him  fifty  guilders,  in  part  thereof,  in  advance. 
He  was  allowed  the  use  of  a  house  and  garden,  and  was  per- 
mitted to  charge  six  guilders  per  quarter  for  each  scholar. 
He  was  also  privileged  to  practise  medicine.  In  1660,  he  in 
several  instances  demanded  a  beaver,*  (valued  at  eight  guild- 
ers ;)  in  consequence  of  which  over-charge,  his  annual  salary 
was  withheld. 

He  likewise  lacked  the  sine  qua  non  for  a  schoolmaster, 
and  the  parents  complained  of  the  want  of  proper  discipline 
among  his  pupils,  "  who  beat  each  other,  and  tore  the  clothes 
from  each  other's  backs."  He  retorted,  by  stating  that  "  his 
hands  were  tied,  as  some  of  the  parents  forbade  him  punish- 
ing their  children."  (The  race  of «uch  is  not  extinct.)  The 
result  was,  the  school  changed  teachers  ;  Curtius  returned  to 
Holland,  and  the  Rev.  ^Egidius  Luyck,  who  had  been  acting 
as  tutor  to  Stuyvesant's  sons,  became  Principal  of  the  High 
School,  1662.  Under  his  charge,  it  attained  so  high  a 
reputation,  that  children  were  sent  to  it  from  Virginia,  Fort 
Orange  and  the  Delaware,  to  receive  a  classical  education.f 

*  The  currency  of  New-Amsterdam  was  in  general  composed  of  the 
Indian  money  called  wampum  or  seawant,  and  of  beaver  skins.  Sea- 
want  consisted  of  small  perforated  shells,  "loose"  or  "strung."  This 
•was  used  in  trading  at  the  market,  the  grocer's,  or  the  baker's.  Six 
•white  or  three  black  sea  wants,  "  loose"  or  "  commercial,"  were  valued 
at  one  stuyver ;  i.  e.,  about  two  cents.  The  stated  value  of  the  "bea- 
ver" was  eight  guilders,  or  about  three  dollars.  When  divided  into 
"half  beavers,"  they  depreciated  in  value.  Paulding,  N.  Am.  28. 

f  Brod.  656-694 ;  Fauld.  N.  Ani.  42 ;  Alb.  and  N.  Am.  Rec.  Luyck 
resided  in  Whitehall  street,  near  Stone  street. 


54  HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 


CHAPTER     III. 

FROM    THE     CAPITULATION,     1664,    TO     THE   -REVOLUTIONARY 
WAR,  1776;    EMBRACING  A  PERIOD  OF  112  YEARS. 

ALTHOUGH  at  the  Capitulation  of  New-Amsterdam,  the 
government  of  the  Dutch  as  a  nation  ceased,  her  people,  her 
Church,  her  school  still  remained.  By  the  articles  of  capi- 
tulation, the  Dutch  had  secured  to  them  "  the  liberty  of 
their  consciences  in  divine  worship  and  church  discipline,  with 
all  their  accustomed  jurisdiction  with  respect  to  the  poor  and 
orphans."* 

It  is  highly  probable  that  the  school  of  Van  Hoboocken, 
on  the  Bouwery,  was  disbanded ;  but  Evert  Pietersen  con- 
tinued to  teach  as  heretofore,  residing  near  his  school,  in 
1665,  in  De  Brouwer  Straat.f 

The  ecclesiastical  organization  of  the  Dutch  Reformed 
Church  remaining  intact,  she  still  acknowledged  the  juris- 
diction of  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam.  The  school  continued, 
as  heretofore,  under  the  direct  supervision  of  the  deacons ; 
and  being  now  deprived  of  all  aid  from  the  treasury  of  the 
colonial  government,  its  support  wholly  devolved  upon  the 
Consistory ;  and  the  institution  had  such  strong  hold  on  the 
affections  of  the  Dutch  people,  that  they  could  not  and  would 
not  relinquish  their  jurisdiction  over  it,  even  when  efforts 

*  Vide  Art.  of  Capit.  in  full,  O'Call.  N.  N.  ii.  632. 
f  Vide  Directory  of  N.  Am.,  Val.  Man.  Com.  Coun.,  1850,  p.  454. 
Paulding,  N.  Am.  109. 


FROM  1664  TO  1776.  55 

were  made  to  compel  them  so  to  do,  as  will  be  presently 
shown. 

The  English  governors,  solicitous  to  produce  uniformity  in 
religion  and  language,  encouraged  English  preachers  and 
schoolmasters  to  settle  in  the  colony  ;  and  although  for  many 
years  after  the  Capitulation,  there  were  comparatively  but 
few  Episcopalians  in  the  city,  independent  of  the  Government 
officers  and  the  military,  yet  the  Dutch,  with  magnanimous 
spirit,  granted  them  the  occupancy  of  the  church  in  the  fort 
a  portion  of  each  Sabbath.* 

In  the  year  1673,  England  and  Holland  being  then  at 
war,  the  city  surrendered  to  the  Dutch,  and  Governor  Colve, 
in  granting  charters  to  the  several  towns  of  Long  Island  and 
the  Hudson,  enjoined, first  of  all,  that  the  authorities  "should 
take  care  that  the  Reformed  Christian  religion  be  maintained 
in  conformity  to  the  Synod  of  Dordrecht."  They  were  also 
empowered  to  enact  "  ordinances  for  the  observance  of  the 
Sabbath,  erecting  churches  and  schoolhouses,  or  similar  pub- 
lic works  ;"f  but  Colve's  administration  was  brief,  the  pro- 
vince being  ceded  to  the  British  by  the  treaty  of  November, 
1674. 

Subsequently,  1687,  Governor  Dongan,  in  his  Report  to 
the  Committee  of  Trade  on  the  Province  of  New-York,  states, 
"Here  bee  not  many  of  the  Church  of  England.  The  most 
prevailing  opinion  is  that  of  the  Dutch  Calvinists.  It  is  the 
endeavour  of  all  Psons  here  to  bring  up  their  children  and 
servants  in  that  opinion  which  themselves  profess."J 

During  Fletcher's  administration,  the  Assembly  passed  a 
law  providing  for  the  settlement  of  ministers  of  the  gospel, 
to  be  chosen  by  the  people.  The  Council  added  an  amend- 
ment, giving  to  the  Governor  the  power  of  approval  or  rejec- 

*  Doc.  Hist.  N.  Y.  i.  186.     f  Ib.  i.  655,  et  seq.    J  Ib.  i.  161,  et  seq. 


56  HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 

tion.  The  House,  composed  in  the  main  of  those  attached 
to  the  Church  of  Holland,  refused  to  concur  in  the  amend- 
ment, when  Fletcher,  addressing  them  in  an  angry  speech 
prorogued  them  to  the  next  year.* 

The  repeated  efforts  made  in  behalf  of  the  English  Church 
bore  hard  at  times  upon  the  prospective  welfare  of  that  of 
the  Dutch;  but  tolerant  to  all,  while  watchful  for  herself, 
she  maintained  her  position,  and  continued,  as  from  the  first, 
in  the  enjoyment  of  her  worship  and  her  school. 

But,  undoubtedly,  the  greatest  severity  which  the  people 
of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church  experienced,  was  at  the 
hands  of  Lord  Cornbury. 

His  imprisonment  and  amercement  of  two  Presbyterian 
ministers,  for  preaching  without  his  license,  and"  his  breaking 
up  by  stringent  measures  the  Dutch  schools  on  Long  Island, 
testify  to  his  misguided  zeal.f  That  he  was  acting  in  oppo- 
sifion  to  the  principles  and  teachings  of  the  Episcopal  Church, 
cannot  for  a  moment  be  doubted ;  the  censure  attaches  to 
him  a*  an  individual. 

Of  the  Dutch  Church  in  New- York  maintaining  the  as- 
cendency in  numbers  an'd  influence,  he  was  somewhat  wary ; 
but  on  the  recurrence  of  a  favorable  opportunity,  he  unhesi- 
tatingly gave  them  to  understand  that  no  Dutch  minister  or 
schoolmaster  would  be  allowed  to  exercise  his  calling  without 
a  special  gubernatorial  license;  and  this  in  direct  opposition 
to  the  previously-granted  charter  of  incorporation,  given  by 
William  III.  to  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church  in  America,  in 
which  is  the  following  concession  :  "And  our  will  and  pita- 
sure  further  is,  and  we  do  hereby  declare  that,  that  the  min- 

•  Bale's  U.  S.  76. 

f  Smith's  Hist.,  published  at  Philadelphia  by  Benj.  Franklin  <fe  D. 
Hall,  MDCCLV.  1 14.  Hardie,  67.  Dunlap,  ii.  Ap.  U.  254.  Greenleaf '• 
Hist  of  Churches  in  N.  Y.  125. 


FROM  1664  TO  1776.  67 

isters  of  said  Church,  for  the  time  being,  shall  and  may,  by 
and  with  the  consent  of  the  elders  and  deacons  of  the  said 
Church,  for  the  time  being,  nominate  and  appoint  a  SCHOOL- 
MASTER and  such  other  under  officers  as  they  shall  stand  in 
need  of."*  In  view  of  this  right  to  the  jurisdiction  of  an 
institution  which  they  considered  of  vital  importance,  and  to 
which  they  were  endeared — a  right  affirmed  at  the  capitula- 
tion, and  subsequently,  the  Consistory,  with  a  spirit  worthy 
of  their  high  trust,  took  a  decided  stand  in  opposition  to  the 
Governor's  claims ;  as  in  their  records  is  a  minute  referring  "  to 
the  arbitrary  measures  of  Lord  Cornbury,  who  had  taken  the 
regulation  of  schools  into  his  own  hands,  and  claimed  the 
direct  appointment  of  the  schoolmaster." 

They  were  now  without  a  teacher,  although  a  nomination 
had  been  made  and  presented  by  Goulet  and  Kerfbyl.  A 
committee  of  the  Consistory  remonstrated  against  the  Gov- 
ernor's claim,  as  being  contrary  to  the  provision  in  the  Charter 
of  Governor  Fletcher  to  the  Church.  This  remonstrance  was 
declined.  Whereupon  the  Ruling  Consistory,  deeming  this 
a  matter  of  great  importance,  directed  a  meeting  of  the  Great 
Consistory  on  January  16,  when  it  was  resolved,  "that  the 
members  of  the  Great  Consistory  should  have,  with  respect 
to  this  matter,  [the  appointment  of  the  schoolmaster,]  not 
merely  an  advisory,  but  also  ^deciding,  vote  with  the  Ruling 
Consistory. "f  So  that,  notwithstanding  the  Governor's  man- 
datory prohibition,  so  unjustly  and  disastrously  effectual  in 
other  parts  of  the  province,  the  Dutch  in  New- York  retained 
their  rights,  and  continued  to  call  and  settle  their  school- 
masters as  heretofore. 
•  The  name  of  the  individual  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy 

*  Vide  Incorporation  Act  of  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church, 
f  Consistorial  Minutes,  i.  47. 

*3 


58  HISTORY    OF    THE    SCHOOL, 

above  alluded  to  is  not  known ;  but  subsequently,  1*726,  the 
school  was  under  the  care  of  BARENT  DK  FOREEST.* 

The  attention  of  Consistory  having  been  engrossed  for 
some  time  with  other  subjects  of  paramount  importance,  we 
find  no  direct  reference  to  the  school  in  their  records,  until 
the  year  1743 ;  when  commences  a  series  of  minutes,  from 
which  we  are  able  to  furnish  a  full  and  uninterrupted  chain 
of  interesting  facts  respecting  the  size  and  progress  of  the 
school,  with  a  complete  list  of  the  schoolmasters  up  to  the 
present  day. 

The  increasing  population  had  not  only  rendered  necessary 
the  erection,  "  farther  up  town,"  of  a  second  house  of  worship, 
but  a  second  school  was  to  be  provided  for,  as  the  deacons, 
in  their  capacity  as  trustees,  informed  Consistory  "  That,  for 
the  encouragement  of  another  Dutch  school,  they  had,  during 
this  month,  [November  21,  1743,]  directed  Mr.  ABRAHAM 
DE  LANOV  to  present  the  names  often  (10)  children  of  poor 
parents  (who  lived  at  too  great  a  distance,  particularly  in 
winter,  to  come  to  the  school  of  Mr.  HUYBERT  VAN  WA- 
GEXENf )  to  the  deacons,  in  writing ;  that,  after  investi- 
gation of  their  cases,  they  may  be  approved.  Mr.  De  Lanoy, 
for  instructing  them  according  to  the  rates  prescribed  by 
Consistory,  shall  receive,  in  quarterly  payments,  the  same 
amount  of  money  and  firewood  which  Mr.  Van  Wagenen 
received  for  the  same  number.  Mr.  Van  Wagenen  shall 
attend  to  the  catechetical  instruction  of  the  children  in  the 
Old  Church,  [Garden  street,]  and  Mr.  Delanoy  in  the  New 
Church,  [the  Middle.]  This  arrangement  was  approved  by 
Consistory."J 

*  Con.  Min. 

f  Neither  the  date  of  Barent  De  Foreest's  resignation,  nor  of  Mr. 
Van  Wagenen's  appointment  as  schoolmaster,  can  be  now  definitely 
ascertained. 

t  Coo.  Min.  i.  196. 


FROM  1664  TO  1776.  5(j 

Accommodations  having  been  secured,  the  school  of  Mr. 
Delanoy  went  into  operation.*  While  it  existed,  there  was 
a  school  to  each  church ;  and  had  the  plan  been  strictly 
carried  out  of  establishing  a  school  by  the  side  of  each 
Dutch  church  subsequently  erected,  is  it  not  reasonable  to 
suppose  that  it  would  have  proved  a  source  of  rejoicing  to 
our  denomination  at  the  present  day  ?  May  she  not  awake 
to  a  sense  of  her  duty  in  this  respect,  when  it  is  too  late ! 

In  1746,  Consistory  resolved,  "That  there  should  be 
appropriated  to  Mr.  Huybert  Van  Wagenen,  in  addition  to 
the  sum  pledged  to  him  for  the  instruction  of  the  children  in 
the  school,  ten  pounds  New-York  currency,  for  one  year,  on 
condition  that  he  should  officiate  as  chorister  alternately  in 
the  Old  and  New  Church,  as  shall  be  directed  by  Consistory. 
If  this  should  prove  satisfactory,  the  Consistory  will  take 
further  action." 

This  was  accompanied  with  resolutions  relating  to  Isaac 

*  Mr.  Abram  Brower,  who  at  the  time  of  his  death,  in  1832,  was 
between  eighty  and  ninety  years  of  age,  states  that,  when  a  lad,  "  he 
went  to  the  Dutch  school,  to  his  grandfather,  Abraham  Delanoye,  (a 
French  Huguenot,  via  Holland,)  whose  school  was  in  Cortlai<dt 
street."  (Wat.  An.  172.)  This  being  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Middle 
Church,  was,  in  all  probability,  the  scho9l  organized  by  the  deacons, 
as  above  stated. 

The  late  Judge  Benson,  in  his  early  youth,  "  attended  school  at  the 
corner  of  Marketfield  and  Broad  streets,  where  he  learned  the  Dutch 
Catechism.  They  used  in  the  Dutch  churches,"  he  adds,  "  an  hour- 
glass, near  the  clerk,  to  ascertain  the  length  of  the  sermon,  which  was 
always  limited  to  one  hour.  They  made  the  collections  in  a  bag, 
with  a  bell  to  give  notice  of  the  approach  of  the  deacons  (gatherers.") 
(Vide  Wat.  An.  191.)  The  whole  complexion  of  the  Judge's  state- 
ment, in  connection  with  the  statement  of  the  Consistory  of  that  date, 
"  that  there  was  (then)  no  other  suitable  school  of  the  Low  Dutch  in 
the  city,"  (post,  63,)  renders  it  highly  probable  that  the  locality 
mentioned  was  the  site  of  Mr.  Van  Wagenen's  labors  at  this  date. 


60  HISTORY    OF    THE    SCHOOL, 

Stoutenburgh  and  John  Van  Aarnam,  choristers  in  the 
Old  and  New  churches,  providing  for  Mr.  Van  Wagenen 
taking  their  places  occasionally,  and  paving  the  way  for  his 
permanent  appointment.* 

In  1748,  the  subject  of  erecting  a  schoolhouse  was  refer- 
red to  a  Committee  of  Consistory,  and  Mr.  Van  AVagenen 
having  signified  his  intention  to  resign,  Consistory  engaged 
"  Mr.  DANIEL  BRATT,  chorister  in  the  church  of  Catskill,  to 
be  chorister  in  the  New  Church  for  the  five  subsequent  years, 
for  which  service  he  is  to  receive,  in  addition  to  the  fees 
for  entering  baptisms,  £12  105.  He  is  also  to  officiate  as 
the  schoolmaster,  for  which  he  shall  be  provided  with 
a  dwelling-house  and  school-room  by  the  Old  Church,  and 
also  with  twelve  free  scholars,  six  in  reading  and  six  in 
writing ;  for  which  he  shall  receive  £12  10*.,  and  also  a  load 

o  *  ' 

of  wood  for  each  scholar,  annually,  half  nut  and  half  oak. 
His  services  to  commence  April,  I749."f 

August  15. — "The  Committee  for  preparing  a  plan  for 
the  building  of  a  school  and  dwelling-house,  exhibited  one 
•which  was  unanimously  approved  ;  and  it  was  resolved,  that 
the  erection  of  a  building,  according  to  such  plan,  should 
forthwith  proceed.''^ 

In  the  year  1691,  the  Dutch  Church  purchased,  for  $450, 
from  the  Common  Council,  a  tract  of  land  on  Garden  street, 
between  William  and  Broad  streets,  "on  the  north  side  175 
feet,  on  the  south  side  180  feet,  more  or  less."  A  church 
was  erected  here,  in  1693,  on  the  north  side  of  the  street; 
and  opposite  this,  on  the  south  side,  several  feet  back  from 
the  building-line,  the  school-house  (with  teacher's  dwelling 
attached)  was  built.§ 

*  Con.  Min.  i.  208.     Stoutenburgh,  in  1746,  was  Voorlezer  in  the 
Oude  Kerke,  and  Van  Aarnam  in  the  New  Kerke.     Rec.  Col.  Ch. 
f  Con.  Min.  i.  213.  \  Con.  M<n.  i.  123. 

§  The  exact  site  of  this  building  is  designated  on  an  ancient  map  of 


FROM  1664  TO  1776.  61 

1751.  December  12 — "  Mr.  Van  der  Sman  was  appointed 
CoDsoler  of  the  Sick  and  Catechiser."* 

Mr.  Bratt,  from  the  complexion  of  the  records,  had  been 
selected  with  reference  to  his  abilities  as  chorister.  As  an 
instructor  of  youth  and  catechist,  he  seems  not  to  have  ren- 
dered complete  satisfaction  ;  hence  the  division  of  his  labors 
by  the  above  appointment,  and  his  subsequent  dismissal ; 
for  in  1753,  April,  he  was  "notified  that  his  services  as 
schoolmaster  would  end  in  May,  I754."f 

1755. — The  Consistory,  at  this  period,  finding  themselves 
unable  to  procure  here  the  services  of  an  individual  possessed 
of  those  varied  qualifications  deemed  by  them  essential  in  a 
voorlezer  and  schoolmaster,  and  being  anxious  of  obtaining 
one  capable  of  performing  aright  those  important  and  respon- 
sible duties  connected  with  the  instruction  of  youth,  especially 
where  the  cultivation  of  their  moral  faculties  was  to  be  ap- 
propriately considered,  "Resolved  (January  27)  to  call  a  cho- 
rister, catechist,,  and  schoolmaster  from  Holland.'1''  Arti- 
cles were  prepared,  prescribing  the  duties  required,  and  stipu- 
lating the  salary,  which  were  committed  to  the  President,  to 
prepare  a  letter  to  certain  persons  in  Holland,  to  be  forwarded 
by  the  first  opportunity. 

To  Daniel  Bratt,  who  had  still  been  retained  in  the  school, 
notwithstanding  the  notification  of  April,  1753,  "notice  was 
directed  to  be  given,  '  to  look  out  for  another  place.'  "J 

The  letter  whic'a  was  prepared  and  sent  to  Holland,  as 
above  directed,  was  as  follows  : 

To  Mr.  JOHN  DREVES  ;    N.  N.  SCHOUTE,  Chorister  of  the  South 

Church,  Amsterdam ;  and  CHRISTIAN  BORDING  : 
RESPECTED   SIRS  : — The  Consistory  of  the  Dutch  Reformed 

the  city,  1763,  which  is  to  be  found  in  Val.  Man.  Com.  Coun.,  1850, 
220.    This  property  is  now  known  as  Noe.  50  and  52  Exchange  Place, 
*  Con.  Min.  i.  218.  f  Ibid.  i.  223.  J  Ibid.  i.  232. 


62  HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 

Church  in  the  city  of  New- York,  encouraged  by  the  recom- 
mendation of  Mr.  Cornelius  Clopper,  Jr.,  who  is  acquainted 
with  you,  take  the  liberty  to  send  you  this  letter,  requesting 
you,  as  being  able  and  willing,  to  aid  us  in  the  matter  proposed. 
Our  congregation  has  for  some  time  been  destitute  of  a  capable 
schoolmaster  and  chorister,  to  the  evident  injury  of  our  youth 
and  the  cause  of  religion  :  the  Consistory  have  finally  resolved 
to  incur  the  trouble  and  expense  of  procuring  one  from  Holland ; 
and  for  such  beseech  your  most  friendly  help  and  support,  and 
offer  such  emoluments  as  will  be  nearly  double  of  what  has  been 
before  enjoyed  by  any  one  in  that  capacity.  This  is  the  strong- 
est evidence  of  our  ardent  desire  to  obtain  a  worthy  person, 
who  shall  fulfil  our  expectations,  and  discharge  the  duties  of 
his  station  to  satisfaction. 

The  requisites  which  the  Consistory  desire  in  the  person 
whom  you  may  be  so  good  as  to  procure  for  us,  are.: 

First,  That  he  be  a  person  of  suitable  qualifications  to  offi- 
ciate as  schoolmaster  and  chorister,  possessing  a  knowledge  of 
music,  a  good  voice,  so  as  to  be  heard ;  an  aptitude  to  teach 
others  the  science,  and  that  he  should  be  a  good  reader,  writer, 
and  arithmetician. 

Second,  That  he  should  be  of  the  Reformed  religion,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Church,  bringing  with  him  testimonials  of  his  Chris- 
tian character  and  conduct. 

Third,  That,  whether  married  or  unmarried,  he  be  not  under 
twenty-five,  nor  over  thirty-five. 

The  following  arc  the  emoluments  which  the  Consistory  pro- 
mise and  pledge  to  said  person,  for  the  required  services,  annu- 
ally, so  long  as  he  seems  capable  of  discharging  his  duties  in  the 
school  and  church,  and  so  long  as  his  Christian  conduct  is  to 
the  edification  of  the  congregation — 

First,  A  free  dwelling-house,  a  new  and  commodious  one, 
standing  directly  over  [opposite]  the  church  in  which  he  is  to 
officiate  as  chorister,  not  only  twice,  and  sometimes  three  times 
on  the  Sabbath,  but  also  every  Wednesday.  In  this  house, 
besides  the  large  school-room,  there  is  a  small  chamber,  a  kit- 
chen, a  cellar  under  the  house,  behind  the  house  a  fine  kitchen- 
garden,  a  well,  with  a  pump  therein,  and  other  conveniences 
besides,  the  annual  rent  of  which  would  be  valued  at  more  than 
twenty  pounds  New- York  currency.  While  the  sums  men- 
tioned are  New- York  currency,  we  deem  it  necessary  to  state, 
that  one  pound,  New- York  currency,  must  be  reckoned  at  six 
guilders  and  twelve  stivers. 

Second,  For  leading  the  singing  at  the  times  before  stated 
annually,  fifteen  pounds. 


FROM  1664  TO  1776.  63 

Third,  As  the  master  shall  be  bound  to  instruct  twenty  poor 
children  in  reading,  writing,  and  ciphering,  he  shall  receive 
annually  twenty-four  pounds,  whether  the  whole  number  be 
filled  up  or  not. 

Fourth,  Firewood  for  these  children,  six  pounds  annually. 

Fifth,  For  keeping  the  account-books  of  receipts  and  expend- 
itures of  the  church,  neatly  executed,  eight  pounds. 

Sixth,  For  entering  baptisms  in  the  Church  Register.  This 
cannot  be  accurately  denned,  but  will  at  least  average  seven 
pounds. 

Seventh,  Besides  these,  an  annual  salary  of  twenty  pounds. 

•Total,  eighty  pounds  ($200)  and  dwelling. 

Upon  this,  gentlemen,  the  schoolmaster  coming  over  may 
confide  with  certainty.  To  this  may  be  added,  that  the  school 
is  open  for  the  children  of  all  the  citizens,  and  from  those  who 
learn,  whether  reading  alone,  or  writing,  singing,  or  ciphering, 
a  considerable  sum  may  be  expected,  as  there  is  no  other  suitable 
school  of  the  Low  Dutch  in  the  city.  The  master  may  therefore 
confidently  expect  that,  with  his  zeal  and  industry,  his  income 
will  increase,  so  that  forty  pounds  more  may  at  least  be  added. 
Finally,  in  order  that  nothing  may  be  omitted  in  endeavors  to 
attain  this  pious  object,  the  Consistory  (as  the  person  selected 
cannot  come  here  without  expense)  promise,  on  his  arrival,  to 
remunerate  him  to  the  amount  of  fifteen  pounds.  If  you  should 
seek  to  gain  this  object  as  speedily  as  practicable,  so  that  the 
person  selected  may  come  over  to  us  with  Captain  John  Ketel- 
tas,  a  great  service  will  be  rendered  to  us  and  our  church,  and 
we  shall  feel  ourselves  obligated  to  acknowledge  our  gratitude. 

We  subscribe  ourselves,  with  prayer  for  the  blessings  of  grace 
upon  your  persons  and  families, 

Your  servants, 

The  COXSISTORY  OF  NEW- YORK. 

In  their  behalf, 

J.  RITZEMA,  Pres. 

February  17,  1755. 

N.  B.  This  comprises,  under  the  name  of  (Voorsanger)  cho- 
rister, also  that  of  (Voorleser)  leader  in  reading,  whose  duty  it 
shall  be,  during  the  absence  or  sickness  of  the  minister,  (as  we 
are  not  provided  with  candidates,)  to  read  a  sermon  for  the  edifi- 
cation of  the  congregation. 

P.  S.  The  Consistory  also  requests  that  Captain  John  Ketel- 
tas  may  be  consulted  as  to  the  qualifications  of  the  person  who 
may  be  selected.* 

*  Con.  Min.  i.  232. 


64  HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 

\ 

This  call  happily  provides  us  with  the  aspect  of  the  school, 
and  the  standard  of  the  schoolmaster's  qualifications,  one 
hundred  years  ago  ;  and  it  resulted  in  the  procurement  of  a 
teacher  from  Holland,  who  served  the  school  faithfully  till 
called  away  by  a  messenger  from  God. 

1755. — Mr.  JOHN  NICHOLAS  WELP  having  arrived  from 
Amsterdam  as  chorister  and  reader  in  the  Old  Church,  and 
also  as  schoolmaster,  delivered  his  testimonials,  which  were 
satisfactory  to  the  Consistory.  It  was  Resolved,  that  eight 
pounds  be  appropriated  for  the  freight,  etc.,  of  his  goods  from 
New-London,  in  addition  to  the  fifteen  pounds  promised  for 
the  expenses  of  his  voyage;*  and  the  following  letter 
betokens  the  kind  hearts  and  magnanimous  spirits  which 
constituted  the  Consistory  of  that  day: 

"Letter  from  Consistory  to  Messrs.  John  Dretes,N.  N.  Schoute, 

and  Christian  Hording. 

Mr.  Cornelius  Cloppcr,  Jr.,  one  of  our  members,  has  already 
made  you  acquainted  with  the  course  of  correspondence  and 
safe  arrival  here  of  Mr.  John  Nicholas  Welp,  with  his  wife  and 
children,  in  good  health.  We,  however,  feel  ourselves  in  the 
highest  measure  obliged  to  express  unto  you  our  obligations 
more  particularly,  and  to  acknowledge  with  cordial  thankful- 
ness the  trouble  and  care  taken  for  us,  and  feel  ready  t»  recipro- 
cate in  any  thing  which  can  be  done  on  our  part.  What  re- 
spects the  small  expenses  of  which  Mr.  Bording  makes  mention, 
in  his  letter,  we  send  accompanying  this,  with  Captain  Anthony 
Rutgers,  t  four  Spanish  pieces,  with  the  charge  to  pay  in  our 
name  any  thing  further  which  may  exist.  You,  gentlemen, 
doubtless  expect  to  learn  from  us  whether  the  person  of  Mr.  Welp 
satisfies  our  expectation.  We  can  say,  although  all  is  yet  new, 
that  there  is  nothing  which  can  lead  us  to  apprehend  that  the 
Consistory  will  regret  the  heavy  and  unusual  expenses  incurred 
by  obtaining  a  person  from  Holland  for  such  a  service.  His 
testimonials  are  highly  laudatory,  and  the  proof  of  his  work 
hitherto  being  satisfactory  to  the  congregation,  good  hope  is 

*  Con.  Min.  i.  248. 

\  Memb.  Com.  Coun.  for  ten  years.     Val.  Man.  1850,  221  et  seq. 


FROM  1664  TO  1776.  65 

entertained  that  by  his  example  and  labors  he  will  be  very  useful 
in  our  church,  if  it  should  please  the  Lord  to  spare  him  for  some 
years,  which  we  also  desire  on  his  account.  The  Consistory 
have,  according  to  their  promise,  paid  the  passage-money  from 
Holland,  and  have  also  paid,  besides  this,  the  expenses  from 
New-London,  which  were  a  little  more  than  eight  pounds.  A  Iso, 
considering  the  loss  which  Mr.  Welp  suffered  in  the  sale  of  his 
goods,  on  account  of  his  removing  from  Amsterdam  at  a  short 
notice,  as  was  mentioned  in  the  letter  of  Mr.  Bording,  the  Con- 
sistory have  toluntarily  made  up  a  present  of  twenty  pounds, 
which  was  very  gladly  received  by  Mr.  Welp.  We  thus  trust 
that,  diligently  employed  in  his  school  labors,  he  will  feel  him- 
self^tisfied  with  his  situation,  and  find  matter  for  thankfulness 
to  tW  providence  of  God  which  has  brought  him  here,  of  which 
he  already  gives  tokens  of  acknowledgment.  This,  we  believe, 
gentlemen,  will  give  you  satisfaction  in  the  work  you  have  done. 
We  pray  the  God  of  heaven  to  bless  you  and  the  land  of  your 
residence,  that  it  ma}'  not  prove  a  prey  to  ambitious  tyranny, 
especially  not  to  the  anti-Christian  King  of  France,  whose  irre- 
ligious cruelty  manj',  especially  on  the  borders  of  our  neighbor- 
ing provinces,  experience  by  the  murders  and  burnings  commit- 
ted by  the"  barbarous  heathen  hired  by  money,  and  mated  for 
this  purpose. 

We  subscribe  ourselves,  with  great  respect  and  affectionate 
greetings  to  Jaffron  Bording,  respected  and  well  known,  gentle- 
men, your  obedient  and  obliged  servants. 

In  the  name  of  Consistory,* 

J.  RITZEMA." 

*Con.  Min.  i.  249.  The  closing  paragraph  alludes  to  the  barbari- 
ties perpetrated  by  the  savages  on  the  frontier  inhabitants  during  the 
French  and  Indian  war,  1754-1763.  On  the  surrender  of  Oswego, 
the  terms  •which  had  been  agreed  to  were  shamefully  violated.  Sev- 
eral of  the  British  officers  and  soldiers  were  insulted,  robbed,  and 
massacred  by  the  Indians.  Most  of  the  sick  were  scalped  in  the  hos- 
pitals, and  the  French  general  delivered  twenty  of  the  garrison  to  the 
savages,  that'being  the  number  they  had  lost  during  the  siege,  and 
these  were  tortured  and  burnt.  Subsequently,  on  the  surrender  of 
Fort  William  Henry,  on  Lake  George,  "  it  was  expressly  stipulated 
by  Montcalm  that  the  prisoners  should  be  protected  from  the  savages 
by  a  guard,  and  that  the  sick  and  wounded  should  be  treated  with 
humanity.  But  the  next  morning,  a  great  number  of  Indians,  having 
been  permitted  to  enter  the  lines,  began  to  plunder.  They  massacred 


66  HISTORY   OF  THE   SCHOOL, 

"  Until  a  few  years  before  the  erection  [1 769]  of  the  North 
Church,  all  the  public  religious  services  had  been  held  in  the 
Dutch  language.  But  the  increase  of  the  English  language 
among  the  people,  and  the  proportionate  decline  of  the  Dutch, 
became  too  apparent  to  escape  the  notice  of  observing  men ; 
and  it  became  more  and  more  evident  to  reflecting  minds 
that  unless  the  English  language  was  introduced,  the  younger 
people  would  attach  themselves  to  churches  where  that  lan- 
guage was  used,  and  the  Dutch  churches  would  dwindle 
away.  Long  discussions  were  held  on  this  subject,  pd  no 
little  excitement  was  produced  by  the  resolution  which  was 
finally  adopted  by  the  Consistory  of  the  Collegiate  Church, 
to  call  a  minister  who  should  officiate  in  the  English  lan- 
guage, while  the  Dutch  was  still  to  be  continued  for  a  part 
of  each  Sabbath.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Laidlie  was  the  person 
called,  and  he  preached  his  first  sermon  in  English  in  the 
Middle  Dutch  Church  on  the  afternoon  of  the  last  Sabbath 
in  March,  1764,  from  2  Cor.  v.  11:  'Knowing  therefore  the 
terror  of  the  Lord,  we  persuade  men.'  All  the  services  were 
conducted  in  English  except  the  singing,  which  was  per- 
formed in  Dutch,  led  by  Jacobus  Van  Antwerp,  (Voorsanger,) 
'  the  fore-singer,'  as  the  congregation  were  unacquainted 
with  the  English  psalmody.  The  house  was  densely  crowded ; 
the  aisles  were  filled,  many  climbed  up  in  the  windows,  and 


the  sick  and  wounded,  and  attacked  the  defenseless  troops  with  fiend- 
like  fury.  The  stipulated  guard  was  denied.  On  every  eide  savages 
were  butchering  and  scalping  their  wretched  victims.  Their  hideous 
yells,  the  groans  of  the  dying,  and  the  frantic  shrieks  of  others  shrink- 
ing from  the  uplifted  tomahawk,  were  heard  by  the  French  unmoved. 
The  fury  of  the  savages  was  permitted  to  rage  without  restraint,  until 
a  large  number  were  killed,  or  hurried  captives  into  the  wilderness." 
Hale,  119. 


FROM  1664  TO  1776.  67 

many  of  the  most  respectable  people  stood  through  the  whole 
exercise."* 

This  measure,  as  might  naturally  be  expected,  gave  great 
offense  to  some  individuals,  and  their  opposition  to  it  was 
manifested  for  a  long  time,  until,  finally,  finding  expostulation 
vain,  they  invoked  the  aid  of  the  civil  power. 

On  the  6th  day  of  July,  1767,  more  than  three  years  after 
the  settlement  of  the  "  English  preacher,"  a  few  members  of 
the  Dutch  Church,  opposed  to  his  appointment,  presented  a 
remonstrance  to  his  Excellency,  Sir  Henry  Moore,  Bart., 
Governor  of  New- York,  in  which  they  complain  that  the 
Consistory  bad  impinged  upon  the  Constitution  of  the  Church, 
by  violating  certain  liberties  and  privileges  originally  con- 
ferred at  the  capitulation  in  1664;  confirmed  and  enlarged 
by  William  III.'s  charter,  1696  ;f  and  still  further  established, 
confirmed  and  extended  to  the  ministers,  elders,  deacons, 
and  members  of  said  Church  by  George  II.,  in  1755.  The 
remonstrance  was  signed  by  Abel  ffardenbrook,  Jacobus 
Stoutenburgh,  and  ffuybert  Van  Wagenen.^  It  consists  of 
ten  grievances,  bearing  directly  or  indirectly  upon  the  intro- 
duction into  the  pulpit  of  the  English  language  in  the  per- 
son of  Mr.  Laidlie.  The  sixth  article  was  .as  follows : 
"That  the  catechising  in  the  Dutch  language  is  forbidden  by 
one  of  the  elders,  alledging  it  was  a  detriment  to  Mr.  Leadly. 
And  Mr.  Leadly  has  forbidden  Mr.  Leydecker  (who  was 
qualified  for  that  business)  to  catechise,  and  say'd  that  the 
Consistory  did  not  approve  of  it."  The  seventh  states  "  that 
the  Dutch  school  is  not  taken  care  of  by  the  Rulers,  to  the 
total  Ruin  of  the  Dutch  Education." 

*  Greenleaf's  Hist  N.  Y.  Churches,  15.        f  Ante,  pp.  54,  56. 

\  This  last-named  individual  was  he  who  was  the  schoolmaster  in 
1743.  This  remonstrance  having  failed  of  its  object,  he  withdrew  and 
connected  himself  with  the  English  Church. 


68  HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 

The  Rev.  John  Ritzema,  in  the  name  and  by  the  order  of 
Consistory,  addressed  to  his  Excellency  an  answer  to  the 
Remonstrance,  in  which  he  sets  the  whole  matter  before  the 
Governor  and  Council  in  its  true  light,  and  ably  vindicates 
the  action  of  Consistory.  The  following  extract  disposes  of 
the  charges  which  refer  to  the  school : 

"The  sixth  article  alledges  that  catechising  in  the  Dutch 
language  was  forbid  by  one  of  the  elders,  as  also  by  Mr. 
Laidlie ;  this  is  not  true,  and  if  it  was,  the  complainants  must 
know  that  no  one  member  of  our  Consistory  has  a  right  to 
forbid  any  thing.  Mr.  Leydecker  never  was  appointed  by 
the  Consistory  to  catechise  in  our  congregation,  and  is  there- 
fore not  qualified ;  though  one  Adrian  Van  Dertsman*  was 
so  appointed ;  but  on  finding  Him  a  man  of  very  immoral 
Behaviour,  having  forged  the  Hand  Writing  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Ritzema  and  others;  wrote  and  subsciibed  letters  directed  to 
the  Synod  of  North  Holland,  recommending  himself  as  a 
proper  Person  for  the  ministry,  by  which  the  Rev.  Mr.  Rit- 
Zema  at  that  time  suffered  much  in  his  character ;  on  the  dis- 
covery of  this  fact,  the  Consistory  thought  proper  to  dis- 
charge him  from  that  office,  and  immediately  appointed 
another  in  his  stead ;  since  which  he  has  been  upheld  and 
supported  by  Mr.  Hardenbrook's  Party. 

"In  answer  to  the  seventh  article,  'That  the  Dutch 
School  is  not  taken  Care  of,  to  the  Ruin  of  the  Dutch  Educa- 
tion,' we  say  that  we  have  at  present,  and  for  twelve  years 
last  past  have  employed  Mr.  Whelp,  who  was  sent  for  to 
Holland  as  a  schoolmaster  and  catecbist;  he  keeps  a  school 
constantly  open,  receives  payment  from  vs  for  teaching  the 
poor  children  of  the  congregation,  to  the,  number  of  thirty, 
which  number  never  was  compleated.  He  is  a  person  very 
well  qualified  to  catechise  and  teach  a  school,  and  we  pay 
him  a  very  handsome  salary  for  his  service ;  insomuch  that 
his  place  is  coveted  by  others.  It  has  been  insinuated  to 
some  of  our  congregation  that  if  Mr.  Vamlersman  could  be 
restored  as  a  catechist,  and  Mr.  Stouteuburgh  have  Mr. 

*Ant«,  p.  61. 


FROM  1664  TO  1776.  69 

Whelp's  place,  all  would  be  well.  The  first  cannot  be  done, 
from  the  character  above  given  ;  the  latter  cannot  in  honor 
be  agreed  to,  as  Mr.  Whelp  is,  beyond  all  comparison,  better 
qualified,  and  was  encouraged  to  come  from  Holland  by  the 
then  Ruling  Con.-istory." 

It  is  observed,  moreover, 

"  That  the  Protest  was  wrote  by  Mr.  Stoutenburgh,  and 
all  the  names  subscribed  in  his  own  hand  writing,  and  some 
of  the  same  persons  twice  mentioned.  It  never  appeared  to 
the  Consistory  that  Mr.  Stoutenburgh  had  any  directions 
from  the  people  whose  names  he  put  down,  and  some  of  them 
denied  that  they  ever  had  given  him  any." 

This  answer  was  dated  23d  September,  and  on  November 
llth,  it  was  read  in  Council,  and  an  Order  made  dismissing 
the  Petition  of  the  Remonstrants* 

1773. — The  expectations  created  by  the  appointment  of 
Mr.  Welp  were  fully  realized.  For  more  than  seventeen 
years,  his  duties  as  schoolmaster  and  chorister  were  faithfully 
and  satisfactorily  performed,  when,  yielding  to  the  mandate 
from  on  high,  his  labors  of  love  and  usefulness  were  closed. 
He  was  the  first  and  only  schoolmaster  who,  while  connected 
with  the  school,  has  been  called  away  by  death. 

The  English  language  (introduced  into  the  pulpit  just  nine 
years  previously)  having  now  become  quite  prevalent,  regard 
was  bad  to  this  in  the  selection  of  his  successor. 

March  19,  a  proposition  was  offered  to  the  Consistory, 
relating  to  a  new  schoolmaster  in  the  place  of  the  deceased, 
Mr.  Welp,  which  was  taken  into  mature  deliberation.  This 
proposition  was  in  the  following  words : 

"  Inasmuch  as  Mr.  Nicholas  Welp,  who  was  our  Free 
School  master,  is  deceased,  and  it  is  highly  necessary  that 
another  schoolmaster  should  be  appointed  to  instruct  thiity 

*  Vide  Remonstrance  and  Reply  in  full,  Doc.  Hist.  N.  Y.  iii.  511, 
et  seq. 


70  HISTORY   OF   THE   SCHOOL, 

poor  children  in  reading,  writing,  and  arithmetic,  as  well  as 
in  both  (he  English  and  Dutch  languages,  and  as  in  the 
meantime,  after  inquiry,  a  suitable  person  has  been  found  in 
the  person  of  Mr.  PETER  VAN  STEENBURGH,  who  is  qualified 
to  teach  in  BOTH  languages  ;  and  as  the  present  schoolhouse 
and  Consistory-chamber*  is  so  far  decayed  that  it  cannot 
stand  much  longer,  it  is,  therefore,  submitted  to  the  consid- 
eration of  the  Consistory,  whether  it  is  not  advisable  to  pull 
down  the  school-house  now  standing,  and  erect  a  new  one, 
—  more  feet  in  breadth  and  —  feet  more  in  length  than  the 
present ;  and  also  to  erect  a  second  story  above  it  for  a  Con- 
sistory-chamber, and  a  free  room  for  catechising,  and  the 
new  school-building  to  be  under  one  roof  with  the  dwelling- 
house,  and  to  be  a  frame  building  with  a  brick  front.  This 
can  be  done  before  the  schoolmaster  be  ready  to  enter  upon 
his  labors.  If  the  Consistory  should  deem  it  necessary  to 
call  the  above-named  schoolmaster,  it  is  then  submitted  to 
them  whether  the  following  will  not  prove  an  adequate 
salary." 

Here  follow  the  six  articles  of  stipulation,  which  will  be 
found  in  the  call  made  to  Mr.  Van  Steenburgh. 

The  Consistory  immediately  resolved  to  carry  the  above 
proposition  into  execution,  "  as  being  the  best  which,  iu  pre- 
sent circumstances,  can  be  devised." 

It  was  further  resolved  that  a  committee  be  appointed  to 
prepare  a  call,  according  to  the  above  proposition,  on  Mr. 
Van  Steenburgh  for  one.  The  President  and  the  elders,  A. 
P.  Lott,  Brinckerhoff,  Rnpelye,  and  Duryee,  were  appointed 
said  committee.  The  elders,  Brinckerhoff,  and  Duychingh, 
and  Beekman,\  and  the  deacons,  Abeefy  and  Hoffman,  were 
appointed  a  committee  for  the  building  of  a  new  school-house.§ 

*  Erected  1748. 

f  Member  Com.  Coun.  for  nine  years.    Val.  Man.  1850,  225  et  seq. 

\  Member  Com.  Coun.  for  six  years.     Val.  Man.  1850,  222  et  seq. 

§  This  second  ochool-house  was  erected  1773,  on  the  site  of  the  former 
one,  but  being  larger,  its  front  was  nearer  the  line  of  the  street.  It 
was  built  by  Mr.  Anthony  Post,  an  elder  in  the  Dutch  Church. 


FROM  1664  TO  1776.  71 

"  CALL*  of  the  Consistory  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church 
of  New-York  on  Mr.  Peter  Van  Steenburgh,  at  present  school- 
master at  Flatbush,  on  Long  Island. 

"  On  account  of  the  death  of  Mr.  Nicholas  Welp,  school- 
master of  the  Dutch  congregation  at  New- York,  the  school 
is  broken  up,  on  which  account  the  children  of  the  poor  of 
our  congregation  are  destitute  of  necessary  instruction  :  and 
as  daily  experience  teaches  us  that  the  English  language  in 
this  land  gains  such  prevalence,  that  the  Low  Dutch  lan- 
guage is  continually  diminished,  and  grows  out  of  use,  the 
Consistory  of  New- York  have  therefore  deemed  it  proper  to 
call  a  person  who  is  qualified  to  instruct  and  educate  the 
children  in  the  English  as  well  as  the  Dutch  language,  thus 
opening  th^way  to  induce  the  children  of  the  poor  of  our 
congregation  to  receive  instruction  in  the  language  which 
they  or  their  parents  may  choose.  The  Consistory  having 
heard  many  favorable  testimonials  of  your  gifts  and  qualifi- 
cations, and  also  having  seen  some  proofs  thereof,  have  unani- 
mously agreed  that  you  was  a  proper  person  to  whom  a  call 
should  be  presented  ;  and  learning  that  you  are  favorably 
disposed  to  undertake  the  service  of  schoolmaster,  if  an  ade- 
quate support  should  be  given,  they  have  resolved  to  make  a 
call  upon  you;  and  they  hereby  call  you  to  instruct  the 
children  of  the  poor  of  the  congregation,  hereafter  named, 
both  in  the  English  and  Dutch  languages,  as  may  be  required 
to  teach  them  reading,  writing,  and  arithmetic,  also  the 
questions  in  the  Heidelbergh  Catechism,  or  such  other  as  is 
conformable  to  the  doctrine  of  our  Low  Dutch  Church.  The 
scholars  are  to  be  instructed  and  exercised  therein  at  least 
once  a  week.  The  school  is  to  be  opened  every  morning, 
and  also  closed,  with  prayer,  that  all  may  be  conducted  with 
order  and  to  edification,  and  prove  a  good  example  to  all 
present.  We  promise  to  pay  you  for  the  service  thus  ren- 
dered, 

First,  For  the  instruction  of  thirty  poor  children  in  the 
Low  Dutch  or  English  language,  as  above  stated,  in  reading, 
writing,  and  arithmetic,  the  fourth  part  of  which  shall  be 
paid  every  three  months,  £60. 

*Con.  Min.  i.  126. 


72 


HISTORY   OF    THE    SCHOOL, 


Second,  Firewood  for  one  year,  £8. 

Third,  Books,  paper,  ink,  quills,  <fec.,  for  one  year,  £5. 

Fourth,  For  taking  care  of  and  cleaning  the  Consistory  and 
catechising-chamber,  and  the  making  of  fires  and  lighting 
when  required,  £8. 

N.  B.  The  wood  and  candles  for  the  same  shall  be  fur- 
nished by  the  deacons. 

Fifth,  For  your  encouragement,  you  shall  have  a  dwelling- 
house  and  garden  free,  and  also  a  good  room  for  the  school. 

Sixth,  It  shall  be  allowed  to  you  to  instruct  as  many  other 
chi'dren  as  may  offer  themselves  to  you,  but  not  beyond  the 
number  of  thirty,  and  also  to  keep  an  evening  school. 

"This,  our  agreement  with  you,  shall,  according  to  your 
request,  be  for  one  year,  reckoning  from  the  1st  dly  of  June 
next.  If  then  it  shall  not  be  agreeable  to  you  to  continue 
longer  our  schoolmaster,  you  shall  be  obligated  to  give  notice 
to  Consistory  three  months  before  the  expiration  of  your 
labors,  that  they  may  during  that  time  provide  another 
teacher;  and  if  then  the  Consistory  should  be  satisfied 
with  your  instruction  and  service,  and  be  desirous  that  you 
should  longer  continue  our  schoolmaster,  further  stipulations 
may  then  be  made.  We  hope  the  above  offer  will  meet  with 
your  approbation.  Wishing  you  and  your  family  all  pros- 
perity and  blessing,  we  remain,  with  great  respect, 

In  the  name,  and  by  the  order,  of  the  Consistory, 
Your  servants, 

ARCH.  LAIDLIE,  P.t.  Pres., 
JACOB  DURYEE, 
GERRIT  RAPELYE,* 
ABRAHAM  P.  Lorr,f 
DIRCK  BRINCKERHOFF."J 

This  call,  which  was  accepted  by  Mr.  Van  Steenburgh, 
was  dated  March  20,  1773. 

On  the  6th  of  August  following,  the  newly-built  school- 

*  Member  Com.  Coun.  for  three  years.  VaL  Man.  1850,  220. 
f  Member  Com.  Coun.  for  eight  years.  Val.  Man.  1850,  221. 
\  Member  Com.  Coun.  for  five  years.  Val.  Man.  1850, 220 


FROM  1664  TO  1776.  73 

house  was  ready  for  the  reception  of  school-children,  and 
Mr.  Van  Steenburgh  entered  upon  his  duties. 

For  three  years,  in  the  midst  of  intense  public  excitement, 
the  school  continued  its  operations  under  Mr.  Van  Steen- 
burgh, when,  by  force  of  uncontrollable  circumstances,  it 
was  obliged  to  disband. 

Opposition  to  those  measures  which  eventually  led  to  a 
rupture  with  the  mother-country  was  nowhere  more  strongly 
manifested  than  in  New- York.  Here  the  Provincial  Con- 
gress met,  (1765,)  and  passed  the  famous  Declaration  of 
Rights.  Here  the  stamped  paper  had  been  destroyed,  and 
the  Lieutenant-Governor  hung  in  effigy,  (1765.)  The  As- 
sembly had  refused  to  provide  quarters  and  provisions  for 
such  troops  as  England  wished  to  march  into  the  colony, 
(1767  ;)  and  on  the  arrival  of  a  cargo  of  tea,  (1773,  the  year 
of  Van  Steenburgh's  appointment,)  the  "  Sons  of  Liberty,"  a 
formidable  organization,  destroyed  it.  These,  and  other  like 
measures,  when  the  crisis  arrived,  led  to  the  early  subjuga- 
tion of  the  city,  which,  as  the  head-quarters  of  the  British 
army,  was  under  martial  law.  Many  of  the  citizens  fled  to 
neighboring  places.  All  the  churches  and  schools  were 
closed,  and  naught  was  heard  save  the  accidents  of  war. 

KECAPITULATION. 

The  disseveration  of  tl|e  Dutch  Church  from  the  Colonial 
Government,  the  absence  of  Consistorial  records,  and  there 
being  no  newspapers  as  yet  established,  the  information 
respecting  the  school  for  several  years  after  the  capitulation 
is  necessarily  very  limited ;  but,  identified  with  the  Dutch 
Church  as  an  institution  of  long-cherished  inheritance,  she 
could  not  dispense  with  it,  without  the  violation  of  princi- 
ples and  feelings  totally  incompatible  with  her  constitution 
4 


74  HISTORY    OF    THE    SCHOOL, 

and  aims.  The  testimony  of  its  existence  by  the  Roman 
Catholic,  Dongan,  and  by  some  of  the  Episcopal  governors, 
who  strenuously  promoted  the  extension  of  their  own  de- 
nominational peculiarities,  so  much  so  as  to  call  for  decided 
action  on  the  part  of  Consistory,  when  attempts  were  made 
iinder  the  guise  of  authority,  even  in  the  face  of  chartered 
privileges,  to  suppress  or  control  it,  is  not  only  strongly 
inferential,  but  of  a  decidedly  positive  character. 

1665. — Evert  Pietersen,  who  was  appointed  in  1661,  con- 
tinued to  teach  at  least  one  year  after  the  capitulation. 

1705. — Upon  the  existence  of  a  vacancy,  Lord  Cornbury 
claimed  the  right  of  appointing  the  schoolmaster,  notwith- 
standing the  clause  in  the  incorporation-act  of  William  III., 
(1696,)  reserving  this  right  to  the  ministers  and  Consistory. 
This  claim  led  to  a  meeting  of  the  Great  Consistory,  who 
determined  to  preserve  their  chartered  privileges  inviolate. 

1726. — Barent  De  Foreest,  schoolmaster. 

1743. — Huybert  Van  Wagenen,  previously  appointed, 
kept  the  school,  corner  of  Marketfield  and  Broad  streets, 
(1746.)  He  was  the  chorister  for  the  Old  and  New  Churches, 
alternately.  Resigned,  1749. 

The  population  having  extended  "  far  up  town,"  the  dea- 
cons opened  a  school  in  Cortlandt  street,  of  which  Abraham 
Delanoy  was  appointed  teacher.  He  commenced  with  ten 
scholars,  receiving  from  Consistory,  in  quarterly  payments, 
the  amount  of  money  and  firewood  which  Mr.  Van~Wagenen 
received  for  the  same  number.  The  catechetical  instruction 
in  the  Garden  Street  Church  was  attended  to  by  Mr.  Van 
Wagenen,  and  in  the  Middle  Church  by  Mr.  Delanoy. 

1748. — The  first  school  and  dwelling-house  for  the  teacher 
were  built  in  Garden  street,  opposite  the  church. 

1749,  April  1. — Daniel  Bratt,  schoolmaster  and  chorister 
in  the  Middle  Church.  He  had  twelve  free  scholars,  six  in 


FROM  1664  TO  1770.  75 

reading  and  six  in  writing,  for  which  he  received  £12  10s., 
and  a  load  of  wood  for  each  scholar,  annually,  half  nut  and 
half  oak.  For  his  services  as  chorister,  he  received  £12  10s. 
and  fees  for  entering  baptisms.  Removed  by  Consistory 
in  1755. 

1751. — Adrian  Van  Dersman,  visitor  of  the  sick  and  cate- 
chiscr;  removed  by  Consistory  previous  to  1767. 

1755. — John  Nicholas  Welp  was  called  from  Holland,  as 

schoolmaster  and   chorister  in   the  Old  Church.     He  had 

/ 

twenty  scholars,  and  a  salary  of  £80,  and  the  use  of  dwelling- 
house.  Deceased  in  1773. 

1767. — Complaint  made  to  the  Governor  by  certain  par- 
ties respecting  the  management  of  the  school,  and  the  intro- 
duction therein  of  the  English  language ;  which  complaint 
was  dismissed. 

1773. — Peter  Van  Steenburgh  succeeds  Mr.  Welp.  Read- 
ing, writing,  and  arithmetic  taught  in  loth  languages.  The 
school  and  dwelling-house  rebuilt;  the  Consistory-chamber 
and  catechising-room  occupying  the  second  floor.  Number 
of  pupils,  thirty.  Salary,  same  as  Mr.  Welp's.  He  had  the 
privilege  of  receiving  thirty  pay  scholars,  and  of  teaching 
evening  school.  On  the  arrival  of  the  British  army,  in 
1776,  the  school  disbanded.  We  have  now  lost  sight  of  the 
Krank-besoecker,  the  Voorsanger,  and  the  Voovleser. 

ADDITIONAL    FACTS 

CONNECTED    WITH    EDUCATION    IN    NEW-YORK,   WHILE    UNDER 
THE    ADMINISTRATION    OF   THE    ENGLISH. 

1673. — The  Latin  school,  established  by  the  Dutch  in 
1659,  and  which  was  so  successful  under  the  management 
of  JSgidius  Luyck,  was  sustained  by  the  English  authorities 


76  HISTORY    OF   T11E    SCHOOL, 

for  eight  years,  when  it  was  closed.     In  1673,  Luyck  was 
appointed  a  Schepen. 

1676. — M.  Hilyar  taught  a  school. 

..  1702 — A  free  grammar  school  was  founded,  and  built 
on  the  King's  farm. 

1704. — William  Vesey,  Episcopal  missionary,  opened  a 
catechising  school  for  blacks. 

1705. — A.  Clarke  a  schoolmaster. 

1710. — The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in 
Foreign  Parts  appointed  William  Iluddlestone,  the  first 
schoolmaster  of  the  Episcopal  Church  school.  The  names 
and  dates  of  the  appointment  of  his  successors  were  as  fol- 
lows: 1723,  Thomas  Iluddlestone,  son  of  the  above;  1731, 
Thomas  Noxon ;  1741,  Mr.  Hildreth  ;  1777,  Mr.  Amos  Bull. 
Rev.  William  Morris  is  rector  of  the  school  at  present.  It  is 
located  at  the  corner  of  Varick  and  Canal  streets.  It  has 
received  from  Trinity  Church  over  $60,000,  in  money  and 
real  estate,  which  is  now  very  valuable.  It  was  known  as 
the  Episcopal  "Charity  School"  from  1748  to  1826;  sub- 
sequently, as  the  New-York  Protestant  Episcopal  Public 
School ;  and  since  1845,  as  the  Trinity  School. 

1732. — The  first  free  school  was  established  by  law,  for 
teaching  the  Latin  and  Greek,  and  practical  branches  of  mathe- 
matics. Mr.  Alexander  Malcolm,  of  Aberdeen,  was  appointed 
Principal,  at  £40  per  annum.  He  remained  seven  years. 

1748. — Cornelius  Lynch  taught  writing,  arithmetic,  vulgar 
and  decimal  fractions,  navigation,  gauging,  surveying,  dialling, 
mensuration,  and  merchants'  accounts,  in  Stone  street. 

George  Gordon  taught  book-keeping,  next  the  French 
Church. 

1749. — Benjamin  Leigh,  Broad  street,  near  the  Long 
Bridge  ;  Thomas  Evans,  shoemaker,  near  the  new  dock,  read- 
ing, writing,  and  arithmetic. 


FUOM  1664  TO  1776.  77 

1750. — By  the  Governor's  permission,  a  benefit  was  given 
the  Episcopal  school,  at  the  theatre  in  Nassau  street. 

Charles  Dutens,  teacher  of  French,  and  jeweller,  in  a  long 
advertisement,  full  of  self-conceit  and  egotism,  and  bounti- 
fully interlarded  with  Latin  phrases,  proclaimed  that  he  taught 
a  school,  "  for  the  use  of  young  ladies  and  gentlemen,  whose 
love  of  learning  might  incline  them  to  take  lessons  from  him  in 
French,  at  his  house,  on  Broad  street,  near  the  Long  Bridge, 
where  he  also  makes  and  vends  finger  and  ear-rings,  solitaires, 
stay-hooks  and  lockets,  and  sets  diamonds,  rubies,  and  other 
stones.  Science  and  virtue  are  two  sisters,  which  the  most 
part  of  the  New- York  ladies  possess,"  &c. 

1752. — Tliomas  Allen,  near  Alderman  Cortlandt's. 

Robert  Leitb,  Wall  street. 

July  6,  40  boys  and  12  girls,  Episcopal  charity  scholars, 
•were  present  at  the  consecration  of  St.  George's  Chapel. 

1753. — John  Lewis,  Broad  street,  near  Long  Bridge. 

1757. —  Richard  R.  Smith,  Nicholas  Ba.rrington,  and 
Thomas  Clark,  taught  private  schools  in  Maiden  Lane. 

Edward  Willetts,  day  and  night  school,  Broadway. 

First  notice  of  charity  sermon  at  Trinity  Church.  Collec- 
tion taken  to  clothe  the  children,  and  suitable  anthem  sung. 

1762. — Thomas  Jackson,  Latin  and  Greek,  head  of  New 
street,  opposite  Presbyterian  Church. 

William  Clajon,  teacher  of  French,  Beaver  street. 

1772. — Episcopal  school-house,  built  near  and  for  St.  Paul's 
Church. 

1773. — Thomas  Byerly  opens  an  English  grammar-school. 

1777. — Charity  sermon  at  St.  George's  Chapel.  Fifty-six 
boys  and  thirty  girls ;  reading,  writing,  and  arithmetic  taught, 
and  needle-work  to  the  girls.  Mr.  Wood,  teacher. 

Vanbombeler  was  the  last  schoolmaster  who  taught  in  the 
Dutch  language  exclusively,  about  the  year  1785. 


78  HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 


CHAPTER  IV. 

HISTORY  OF  THE  SCHOOL  OF  THE  REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH, 
FROM  1783  TO  THE  PRESENT  TIME. 

DURING  the  Revolutionary  WAV,  New-York  was  the  head- 
quarters of  the  British  power  in  America,  and  here  the  most 
important  schemes  for  operations  against  the  patriots  were 
planned  and  put  in  motion.  The  municipal  government  was 
overthrown,  martial  law  prevailed,  and  the  business  of  the 
city  degenerated  almost  into  the  narrow  operations  of  suttlirg. 
Many  of  the  residents  left  the  city,  and  their  deserted  houses 
were  taken  possession  of  by  the  officers  of  the  army  and  the 
refugee  loyalists.  Barracks  and  entrenchments  were  erected 
from  Corlaer's  Hook,  and  on  the  line  of  Chambers  street  to 
the  North  river.  Five  thousand  American  prisoners  were 
confined  in  the  jails,  sugar-houses,  and  dissenting  churches 
of  the  city.  For  about  two  months,  several  hundred  prison- 
ers were  huddled  together  in  the  Middle  Dutch  Church, 

O 

when  they  were  removed,  and  it  was  converted  into  a  riding- 
school.  The  North  Church  contained  eight  hundred  prison- 
ers ;  it  having  been  floored  over  from  gallery  to  gallery.  The 
mahogany  pulpit  was  carefully  removed,  sent  to  London,  and 
placed  in  a  chapel  there ;  the  pews  were  used  for  fuel.  A 
theatre  was  established  ;  tennis-courts  and  other  kinds  of 
amusements  were  introduced  ;  and  for  seven  years  the  city 
remained  a  prey  to  the  licentiousness  of  strong  and  idle 
detachments  of  a  well-provided  army.  To  add  to  these  evils, 
in  July,  1776,  four  hundred  and  ninety -three  houses,  located 
between  Whitehall  slip  and  Cortlandt  street,  and  from  the 


FROM    1783    TO   THE    PRESENT    TIME.  79 

North  to  the  East  rivers,  were  consumed  by  fire,  Trinity 
and  the  Lutheran  Church  falling  a  prey ;  and  again,  in 
August,  1778,  three  hundred  houses  were  consumed  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Coenties  slip.  "  There  were  no  public  moneyed 
or  charitable  institutions;  no  banks  or  insurance  offices ;  all 
church  services  were  suspended;  education  was  entirely  neg- 
lected, and  the  schools  and  college  closed."*  On  the  cessa- 
tion of  hostilities,  the  scattered  inhabitants  gradually  returned ; 
but  the  evils  of  war  were  protracted  long  beyond  its  duration ; 
and  the  impoverished  inhabitants  as  well  as  the  municipal 
government  suffered  for  m:my  years  from  the  disastrous  con- 
sequences of  British  occupation. 

Yet,  notwithstanding  this  sad  and  calamitous  state  of  affairs, 
both  public  and  private,  on  the  reorganization  of  Consistory, 
while  the  interiors  of  the  churches  were  still  in  a  dilapidated 
condition,  it  was 

"Resolved,  That  Mr.  Peter  Van  Steenburgh,  who  was  the 
2)ublic  schoolmaster  of  this  congregation  at  the  cormuence- 
rnent  of  the  war,  and  is  again  returned  to  this  city,  shall  be 
considered  as  bound  by  his  former  call,  and  shall  have  per- 
mission to  dwell  in  the  school-house,  and  open  his  school  in 
the  large  room  built  for  that  purpose."f 

This  resolution  is  dated  September  7th,  1783,  but  four 
days  subsequent  to  the  signing  of  the  treaty  of  peace  at 
Paris.  Thus,  while  the  British  still  remained  in  possession  of 
the  city,  the  school  was  reorganized ;  the  evacuation  not 
taking  place  till  the  25th  of  November  following. 

1784,  March  22d. — "It  was  ordered  that  the  number 
of  children  to  be  educated  by  Air.  Van  Steenburgh,  as  charity 
scholars,  shall  be  restricted  to  ten."J 

This  is  the  first  use  of  the  term  "  charity."     The  school, 

*  Lossing's  Field-Book  of  the  Revolution,  835,  836,  865.  Valentine's 
Man.  Com.  Coua.  1852,  p.  435  et  seq. 

•j-  Consist.  Rec.,  anno  1783,  p.  3.  \  Ibid,  anno  1784,  p.  16. 


80  HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 

from  the  date  of  its  establishment,  up  to  the  passage  of  the 
last  resolution,  was  designated  as  the  Public,  Free,  or  Low 
Dutch  School.  Subsequent  to  the  war,  there  being  no  pub- 
lic provision  for  the  education  of  yonth,  schools  were  estab- 
lished in  connection  with  the  different  religious  denominations. 
These  depended  for  their  support  upon  the  voluntary  contri- 
butions of  church  members.  The  Episcopal  Charity  School, 
known  as  such  since  1748,  had  received  many  valuable  lega- 
cies from  individuals  in  that  communion,  and  was  materially 
aided  by  the  large  annual  collections  of  the  Episcopal  churches. 
These  facts  led  to  the  adoption  of  the  term  "  charity"  by 
the  various  schools  organized,  as,  in  that  day  of  general 
poverty,  some  such  movement  was  necessary  in  order  to  work 
effectually  on  the  sympathies  of  the  people  ;  but,  like  every 
thing  adopted  upon  the  principle  of  availability,  in  the  end 
it  proved  most  disastrous  to  the  well-being  of  those  very  in- 
stitutions for  whose  pecuniary  interests  its  use  was  originally 
introduced.  The  Episcopal  school  subsequently  discarded 
the  term,  and  became  a  chartered  institution  under  a  new 
and  less  repulsive  title.  Our  own  school,  dearly  loved  and 
cherished  from  principle,  though  laboring  for  many  years 
under  the  disadvantages  arising  from  the  use,  under  the 
sanction  of  custom,  of  the  obnoxious  term,  still  exists,  though 
it  cannot  be  denied  that  its  usefulness,  from  this  cause,  in 
days  that  are  past,  was  seriously  impaired. 

The  term  charity  may  be  as  appropriately  applied  to 
Sabbath- schools  or  to  our  common  schools  as  to  church 
schools;  yet  who  is  there  that  would  advocate  the  application 
of  this  term  to  them  ?  No !  It  may  answer  for  other  lati- 
tudes; but  there  is  that  in  it  so  repugnant  to  the  republican 
spirit  of  our  people  and  institutions,  that  where  used  injudi- 
ciously and  unnecessarily  in  connection  with  any  institution, 
it  so  wounds  those  fine  and  correct  sensibilities  of  our  nature 


FROM    1783    TO    THE    PRESENT   TIME.  81 

that  even  the  necessitous  are  led  to  keep  aloof  from  it,  lest 
they  may  be  pointed  at  by  the  finger  of  derision. 

The  church  schools  that  sprung  into  existence  towards  the 
close  of  the  last  century  have  long  since  ceased  to  exist. 

The  period  succeeding  protracted  war  has  ever  constituted 
the  dark  days  of  religion  and  literature ;  and  such  was  the 
crippled  condition  of  the  Collegiate  Church  at  this  time,  that 
it  was  with  difficulty  the  school  was  sustained.  As  yet,  no 
fund  had  been  instituted  for  its  support,  nor  had  collections 
been  made  for  it  in  the  churches  ;  and  as  Mr.  Van  Steen- 
burgh  was  privileged  to  have  thirty  pay  scholars,  exclusive 
of  those  educated  by  the  Church,  a  proposition  was  n  ade  for 
renting  the  school-house  and  attached  dwelling  to  him,  on 
condition  that  he  would  teach  such  children  as  the  Consistory 
might  send  him,  at  the  same  rate  per  quarter  for  tuition  as 
he  received  from  his  other  scholars. 

An  arrangement  to  this  effect  was  consequently  entered 
into  with  Mr.  Van  Steenburgb,  Consistory  furnishing  him 
with  twelve  scholars.*  The  result,  however,  was  far  from 
satisfactory. 

The  Church  felt  that  she  was  not  performing  her  full  duty 
towards  her  children.  This  institution  was  her  time-honored 
legacy ;  she  had  long  realized  the  important  blessings  flow- 
ing from  it,  and  she  could  not  relinquish  it,  nor  her  jurisdic- 
tion over  it,  without  coming  short  of  imperative  obligations 
to  her  youth. 

Impelled  by  a  recurring  sense  of  her  responsibilities  to  her 
youth,  and  actuated  by  a  regard  to  her  future  interest,  spe- 
cial efforts  were  made  for  a  thorough  reorganization  of  the 
school. 

To  effect  this,  a  committee  of  Consistory,  consisting  of 

*  Coa  Rec.  Leg.  O.  87. 
4* 


82  HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 

Messrs.  John  Stag<j,  William  Harden  brook,  Ellas  Nexsen, 
Nicholas  Anthony,  and  Leonard  Bleecker,  was  appointed. 
This  was  in  December,  1788.  The  arrangement  with  Mr. 
Van  Steenburgb,  which  had  been  existing  for  three  years, 
was  revoked.  A  nerw  engagement  was  entered  into  with 
him,  to  commence  in  May  following,  whereby  he  was  to 
educate  thirty  free  scholars,  for  which  he  was  to  receive  from 
Consistory  £35  per  annum.* 

In  April,  1789,  the  above  Committee  reported  to  Consis- 
tory certain  regulations  respecting  the  school,  which  were 
unanimously  adopted,  "subject,  however,  to  such  alterations 
as  the  Consistory  shall  hereafter  judge  necessary  to  be 
made." 

The  first  of  these  was,  "That  the  free  school  shall  always 
be  considered  as  depending  for  its  existence  and  support  on 
the  Consistory,  and  as  such  be  subject  to  the  direction  and 
control  of  the  whole  Board." 

The  school,  replaced  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Board  of 
Deacons  as  a  standing  committee,  was  to  be  visited  by  the 
whole  Consistory  quarterly;  viz. :  in  the  first  week  after  every 
administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper  ;  and  provision  was  made 
for  the  attendance  of  the  children  on  divine  service.  The 
remaining  regulations,  relating  mainly  and  specifically  to  the 
internal  management  of  the  school,  were  substantially  the 
same  as  those  now  in  force  in  the  institution.! 

In  the  fall  of  this  year,  so  far  as  can  be  ascertained  from 
the  Church  records,  commenced  the  practice  of  providing 
each  scholar  with  a  full  suit  of  clothing,  collections  being 
made  in  the  Collegiate  Church  for  that  express  purpose.  The 
first  sermon  upon  this  subject  was  preached  in  the  North 

*  Con.  Rec.  Leg.  G.  146,  147.        f  Con.  Rec.  Leg.  G.  154  et  scq. 


FROM    1*783    TO    THE    PKESENT   TIME.  83 

Church,  December  17,  services  commencing  at  5-£  P.  M.* 
The  sum  contributed  by  the  congregation  amounted  to 
1216  05,  the  most  of  which  was  expended  by  the  deacons  for 
the  object  contemplated. 

The  year  following,  1790,  collections  were  taken  in  the 
Old,  New,  and  North  Churches,  and  "  the  Consistory  rejoiced 
in  finding  themselves  enabled,  by  the  generous  donations  of 
the  congregations,  to  increase  the  number  of  scholars,  and 
resolved  unanimously  to  admit  twenty  more  children  in  the 
school  on  the  1st  of  February  next."f 

For  a  number  of  years,  the  liberality  of  the  Collegiate 
Church  ia  this  cause  was  proverbial,  the  donations  in  one 
instance  amounting  to  $753  ;  but  of  late,  from  the  operation 
of  various  cause.*,  the  collections  have  materially  diminished. 
Notwithstanding  this,  the  trustees  of  the  institution,  with  an 
humble  and  firm  reliance  upon  Divine  Providence,  have  never 

*  A  public  journal  of  that  day,  in  publishing  the  notice  for  this  ser- 
mon, adds  the  following : 

*'  Institutions  of  this  kind,  which  afford  to  poor  children  the  means 
of  education,  and  prepare  them  for  usefulness  in  Church  or  State, 
appear  of  all  charities  the  most  laudable.  Several  denominations  of 
this  city  have  accordingly  turned  their  attention  to  them.  The  Re- 
formed Dutch  Church  had,  before  the  war,  a  charity  school,  which, 
during  this  year,  they  have  been  able  to  revive.  They  have  at 
present  thirty  scholar?,  who  are  instructed  in  such  branches  of  learn- 
ing as  will  qualify  them  to  be  good  members  of  society.  The  school 
is  visited  monthly  by  the  deacons,  and  quarterly  by  Consistory;  and 
whenever  the  scholars  have  made  such  proficiency  as  is  judged  neces- 
sary, their  places  are  supplied  by  others.  This  church  depend  for  the 
clothing  and  tuition  of  the  children  wholly  upon  charitable  donations, 
and  they  trust  that  their  endeavors  will  be  countenanced  by  the  pub- 
lic." Vide  "New- York  Journal  and  Weekly  Register,"  December  17, 
1789. 

f  Con.  Rec.  Leg.  G.  195. 


84  BISTORT    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 

yet  been  coerced  to  say  to  any  of  the  necessitous  committed 
to  their  charge,  "  Be  ye  clothed." 

Since  the  year  1842,  when  Miss  Campbell  was  appointed 
to  supervise  the  girls'  department,  a  portion  of  time  in  each 
vreek  has  been  devoted  to  the  improvement  of  the  girls  in 
sewing ;  and  since  the  school  has  occupied  the  present  build- 
ing, which  affords  admirable  accommodations  for  the  pur- 
pose, all  the  girls'  dresses,  having  been  cut  and  fitted  by  Miss 
Parker,  the  present  Principal,  have  been  made  up  under  her 
direction  by  the  girls  themselves,  thus  not  only  effecting  a 
saving  of  expense  to  the  school,  but  affording  to  her  pupils 
an  opportunity  of  qualifying  themselves  in  that  branch,  a 
competent  knowledge  of  which  is  so  essential  an  element  in 
domestic  economy. 

1791. — From  the  establishment  of  the  school  in  1633,  the 
schoolmasters  had,  with  but  one  or  two  exceptions,  acted  as 
choristers ;  and  in  order  to  preserve  this  peculiarity,  Mr.  Stan  ton 
Latham,  who  had  been  clerk  in  the  North  Church  from  Octo- 
ber, 1789,  was  appointed  in  January,  1790,  to  supersede 
Mr.  Van  Steenburgh ;  but  the  change  did  not  actually  take 
place  till  May  1, 1791.  On  the  llth  of  January  of  this  year, 
a  committee,  appointed  to  confer  with  Mr.  Latham,  made  a 
report  to  Consistory,  and  produced  a  written  proposal, 
signed  by  Mr.  Latham,  iu  which  he  offered  to  teach  fifty 
scholars  for  seven  shillings  per  quarter.  After  some  delibera- 
tion, it  was  resolved  to  accept  the  offer ;  and  Mr.  Latham  was 
accordingly  appointed  to  be  the  schoolmaster  of  the  school 
under  the  patronage  of  this  Consistory,  and  to  commence  in 
that  duty  1st  May  next,  on  which  day  "  he  is  to  take  posses- 
sion of  the  house  in  which  Mr.  Van  Steenburgh  now  lives, 
and  occupy  as  m»ich  of  the  same  as  Mr  Van  Steenburgh  now 
occupies,  which  house,  and  the  aforesaid  sum  of  seven  shil- 


FROM    1783    TO    THE    PRESENT   TIME.  85 

lings  per  quarter  for  fifty  scholars,  shall  be  the  whole  of  his 
salary  as  schoolmaster. 

"Resolved,  further,  that  this  Consistory  have  a  high  sense  of 
the  abilities,  assiduity,  and  faithfulness  which  Mr.  Van  Steen- 
burgh  has  for  many  years  exerted  in  the  school  which  has 
been  under  his  care,  and  excepting  for  the  particular  reason 
which  respected  Mr.  Latham  as  a  singing-master  in  the  con- 
gregation, would  have  been  loth  to  part  with  him. 

"Resolved,  further,  that  a  copy  of  this  minute  be  made  and 
given  to  Mr.  Van  Steenburgh,  which  will  be  at  the  same 
time  a  notification  that  Mr.  Latham  is  to  take  possession  of 
the  house  in  which  Mr.  Van  SUenburgh  now  lives,  1st  May 
next."* 

November  27,  a  collection  was  taken  for  the  school  in  the 
Garden  Street  Church  in  the  afternoon,  and  in  the  Middle 
Church  in  the  evening,  where  the  children  were  in  attend- 
ance, and  sung  a  bymnf  suited  to  the  occasion. 

1792,  January  5. — Dr.  Livingston,  Messrs.  Houghtenburgh, 
Oothout  Wilson,  Gilbers,  and  Sickels,  were  appointed  a  com- 
mittee of  Consistory  to  digest  a  plan  for  the  most  successful 
promotion  of  the  interests  of  the  school. 

Ftbruary  2. — The  above  Committee  reported  as  follows : 

"  In  order  as  far  as  possible  to  extend  the  benefit  of  this 
institution,  and  to  secure  to  the  boys  admitted  into  the  school 
the  permanent  advantages  of  the  instruction  there  received, 
they  conceive  it  proper  that  it  be  an  indispensable  condition 
of  the  admission  of  boys  in  future,  that  their  parents  or 
guardians  do  previously,  by  bond,  engage  themselves  to  bind 

*  Con.  Rec.  Leg.  G.  199. 

f  This  custom,  which  still  exists,  was  borrowed  from  the  Episcopal 
Church  school,  in  which  it  had  obtained  as  far  back  as  the  year  1767, 
and  probably  a  few  years  earlier.  The  hymns  used  by  the  children  of 
the  Reformed  Dutch  school  on  these  occasions  have  been  prepared, 
from  year  to  year,  by  the  friends  of  the  institution.  A  majority  of 
these  compositions,  running  back  as  far  as  the  year  1813,  are  now  in 
the  possession  of  the  present  Principal. 


86  HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 

them  to  some  useful  profession  or  employment  at  the  expira- 
tion of  their  terms  in  school,  or  secure  to  Consistory  the 
power  of  so  doing." 

This  article  was  never  carried  out. 

"  That  as  far  as  the  consent  of  the  parents  or  guardians 
can  be  obtained,  the  same  resolution  be  extended  to  the  boys 
already  admitted. 

"That  ten  boys  be  admitted  into  the  school,  in  addition  to 
the  present  number  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Latham. 

"That  ten  girls,  at  present  under  the  tuition  of  Mr.  La- 
tham, be  removed  and  put  under  the  care  of  a  female  in- 
structor."* 

Miss  ELIZABETH  TEN  EYCK  was  accordingly  engaged,  and 
continued  in  this  capacity  until  the  year  1809,  when,  upon 
the  introduction  into  the  school  of  the  Lancasterian  system 
of  education,  "  the  Madam's  school  was  dispensed  with." 
She  immediately  opened  a  private  school,  to  which,  during 
a  period  of  three  years,  the  trustees  occasionally  sent  some  of 
their  female  pupils  to  receive  instruction  in  sewing.f  Dur- 
ing Miss  Ten  Eyck's  connection  with  the  school,  and  for  thirty 
years  afterwards,  she  had  the  making  of  the  girls'  clothing  ; 
and  in  whatever  capacity  she  was  engaged  by  the  trustees, 
her  duties  were  always  performed  in  a  satisfactory  manner. 

1795. — Mr.  Latham,  like  his  predecessor,  enjoyed  the 
privilege  of  having  pay  scholars ;  but  the  Consistory,  im- 
pressed with  the  necessity  of  having  the  school  composed 
exclusively  of  charity  scholars,  had  an  interview  with  him, 
and,  on  the  8th  day  of  January,  they  "JZcsolvcd,  that  from  and 
after  the  1st  February  next,  none  but  charity  scholars  shall 
be  admitted  into  the  school ;  and  that  the  number  of  such 
shall  remain  unlimited,  and  depend  from  time  to  time  upon 
the  direction  of  Consistory."  And  further,  "Resolved,  that 

*  Con.  Rec.  Leg.  G.  226-227. 

f  Tru8.  Min.  i.  26,  30,  32,  40,  67,  73. 


FROM    1783    TO    THE    PRESENT   TIME.  87 

from  and  after  the  said  day,  the  Consistory  will  pay  unto 
Mr.  Latham  £200  per  annum,  and  that  he  shall  continue  to 
remain  in  the  house,  as  hitherto,  free  of  all  rent."  Also, 
"Resolved,  to  allow  twelve  loads  of  wood  every  year  for  the 
school ;  and  it  is  expressly  understood  that,  besides  the  usual 
education  in  literature,  Mr.  Latham  shall  teach  the  scholars 
psalmody,  as  is  usual  in  all  institutions  of  this  nature.'' 

"Mr.  Latham  being  called,  and  these  resolutions  commu- 
nicated to  him,  he  acquiesced,  and  declared  his  willingness 
and  gratitude  for  this  arrangement;  and  it  is  now  recipro- 
cally understood  that  all  former  agreements  are  hereby  super- 
seded, and  that  this  shall  be  the  basis  for  the  future  services 
of  Mr.  Latham,  and  no  alteration  is  to  be  made  therein  on 
eitlier  side  under  at  least  six  months'  notice;  and  that  a  copy 
of  this  minute  be  handed  to  Mr.  Latham.''* 

June  17. — Dr.  Linn  reported  he  had  received  from  Dr. 
Joshua  Lathrop,  of  Norwich,  Conn.,  a  guinea  for  the  benefit 

the  school.f 

1799,  May  25. —  By  a  resolution  of  Consistory,  the 
number  of  children  was  restricted  to  fifty  ;J  probably  in  con- 
sequence of  the  withdrawal  of  the  funds  which,  during  the 
years  1796  and  1797,  the  school  had  received  from  the 
State. 

1801. — The  catechising  of  the  scholars  by  the  ministers 
•was  transferred  to  the  North  Church. 

1804. — March  1.  The  number  of  scholars  under  the  care 
of  the  master  was  limited  to  sixty ;  and  he  was  privileged 
o  receive  six  pay  scholars.§  In  addition  to  the  studies 
already  taught  in  the  school,  the  boys,  if  time  and  circum- 
stances admitted,  were  to  be  instructed  in  the  principles  of 
English  grammar. 

*  Con.  Rec.  Leg.  H.  1.  f  Ibid.  21. 

{Con.  Rec.  Leg.  H.  138. 
§  Con.  Rec.  Leg.  H.  326. 


88  HISTORY    OP   THE    SCHOOL, 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  report  upon  the  propriety 
of  extending  the  benefits  of  the  institution  to  such  individual 
or  individuals,  of  superior  talents  or  acquirements,  as  might 
be  calculated  to  fit  them  for  future  usefulness  in  Church  or 
State. 

1808. — For  a  period  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-five 
years,  commencing  in  1 633,  the  deacons  had  constituted  the 
Standing  Committee  of  Consistory  for  the  management  of 
the  school ;  but  in  the  year  1808,  May  5,  the  code  of  1789 
•was  amended  so  as  to  place  the  institution  under  the  care  of 
a  "Board  of  Trustees,"  whose  duty  it  should  be  "to  advise 
with  Consistory  in  all  matters  that  may  be  deemed  import- 
ant, and  in  all  things  to  be  under  their  control."* 

The  original  members  of  the  Board  were,  Messrs.  John 
Stoutenburgh,  Richard  Duryee,  Isaac  Heyer,  Abraham 
Brinckerhoff,  Anthony  Dey,  Jesse  Baldwin,  and  John  Nitchie, 
Jr.  Their  first  meeting  was  held  June  9,  1808,  in  the  Con- 
sistory-chamber, Garden  street.  John  Stoutenburgh  was 
chosen  Chairman,  and  John  Nitchie,  Jr.,  Secretary. 

The  Vllth  Article  of  their  by-laws  provided  for  a  com- 
mittee of  two  of  the  Trustees,  to  be  called  the  School  Com- 
mittee ;  and  at  each  stated  meeting  the  "Chairman  shall 
appoint  one  of  the  School  Committee  in  succession  from  the 
Trustees,  to  supply  the  place  of  one  whose  term  shall  expire." 
This  was  amended  in  1831,  so  that  there  is  now  but  one 
member  on  the  Visiting  Committee. 

1809,  January  1. — The  school-room  having  been  en- 
larged, the  Lancasterian  or  monitorial  system  was  introduced 
into  the  school,  and  the  number  of  scholars  was  increased 
from  seventy-two  to  one  hundred. 

*  The  Rules  for  the  government  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  are  con- 
tained in  the  "Standing  Rules  of  the  Consistory  of  the  Collegiate  R. 
P.  D.  Church,"  Art.  xiii. 


FROM    1783    TO    THE    PRESENT   TIME.  89 

February  27. — Thirteen  girls  each  received  a  pair  of 
scissors  for  their  improvement  in  writing;  and  twelve  boys, 
each  a  penknife.  These  were  presents  from  Richard  Duryee 
Esq.  At  subsequent  dates,  useful  articles,  the  gifts  of  differ- 
ent individuals,  were  presented  to  the  most  meritorious 
children. 

March  7. — The  number  of  scholars  having  been  increased, 
and  Mr.  Latham  having  relinquished  the  pay  scholars  granted 
him  in  1 804,  his  salary  was  advanced  to  six  hundred  dollars 
per  annum,  and  his  house-rent. 

December  6. — Mr.  Latham  presented  his  resignation,  to 
take  effect  the  first  of  May  following ;  and  Joseph  Hinds, 
who  graduated  from  the  school  in  1808,  was  engaged  as  an 
assistant  teacher  for  a  period  of  seven  weeks. 

December  7. — James  Forrester  was  unanimously  elected, 
by  Consistory,  to  supersede  Mr.  Latham.  His  competitors 
were  Richard  Witts  and  Paul  J.  Micheau.* 

1810,  May  1. — Mr.  Forrester  entered  upon  his  duties, 
and  the  school  was  divided,  under  the  Lancasterian  system, 
as  follows : 

I  First  Class — A  B  C,  and  figures. 
T         A  J  Second  Class — Monosyllables. 

'     Third  Class — Words    of    two    syllables,   and 

writing  same  on  slate. 

Fourth  Class — Words  of  more  than  two  sylla- 
bles, and  irregular  words. 

Fifth  Class — Reading    in    Child's    Instructor ; 
On  slate.  ^ 

Catechism. 

Sixth  Class — Reading    in    New    Testament ; 

Heidelbergh  Catechism. 
Seventh  Class — Reading   in    Old    Testament, 

Murray's  Grammar,  and  penmanship. 

*  COD.  Rec.  Leg.  I.  107.    Trus.Min.  i.  24,  26,  36. 


90  HISTORY    OF    THE    SCHOOL, 

All  to  study  arithmetic,  at  the  discretion  of  the  teacher. 

June  21. — In  case  the  minister  was  absent,  from  sickness 
or  otherwise,  one  of  the  elders  was  to  conduct  the  catechetical 
exercise. 

1811,  January  1 0. — The  eight-clay  clock,  which  had  hung 
for  many  years  in  the  Garden  Street  Church,  was  cleansed  and 
re-cased  by  M.  Demilt,  at  an  expense  of  twenty-five  dollars. 
It  was  then  put  up  in  the  school-room.  What  the  bank  or 
railway  clock  is  to  the  adult,  this,  for  many  years,  has  been 
to  anticipaiive  youth  ;  and  though  it  cannot  foretell,  yet  its 
indications  have  signalized  the  ptriod  for  the  resumption  of 
study,  or  the  desired  release.  Venerable  by  age,  and  faith- 
ful amidst  all  the  changes  of  time,  suspended  on  the  walls  of 
the  present  building,  it  still  answers  nobly  the  precise  object 
for  which  it  was  made;  and,  were  it  gifted  with  speech,  it 
could  undoubtedly  reveal  more  knowledge  of  mischievous 
frolic  than  ever  fell  under  the  cognizance  of  the  teacher. 

1813.  January  25. — Mr.  Nitchie  having  resigned  his  situa- 
tion as  Secretary  of  tin;  Board,  a  unanimous  vote  of  thanks 
was  passed  to  him  by  the  trustees,  for  the  diligent  and  able 
discharge  of  his  duties  for  nearly  five  years ;  and  at  the 
annual  election  of  officers  in  1814,  Mr.  Richard  Duryee  hav- 
ing been  chosen  chairman,  it  was  on  motion  resolved,  that 
the  thanks  of  the  Board  be  communicated  to  Mr.  Stouten- 
burgh,  for  his  faithful  and  punctual  attendance  as  chairman 
for  nearly  six  years. 

1813. — "On  the  2d  of  April,  1805,  (the  same  year  iu 
which  the  Free  School  Society  was  founded,)  the  Legislature 
passed  an  act  providing  that  the  nett  proceeds  of  500,000 
acres  of  the  vacant  and  unappropriated  lands  of  the  people 
of  this  State,  which  should  be  first  thereafter  sold  by  the 
Surveyor-General,  should  be  appropriated  as  a  permanent 
fund  for  the  support  of  common  schools ;  the  avails  to  be 


FROM    1783    TO    THE    PRESENT    TIME.  91 

safely  invested  until  the  interest  should  amount  to  $50,000, 
•when  an  annual  distribution  of  that  amount  should  be  made 
to  the  several  school  districts.  This  act  laid  the  foundation 
of  the  present  fund  for  the  support  of  common  schools." 

"By  the  act  to  incorporate  the  Merchants'  Bank  in  the 
city  of  New-York,  passed  the  same  year,  the  State  reserved 
the  right  to  subscribe  fur  three  .thousand  shares  of  the  capital 
stock  of  that  institution,  which,  together  with  the  accruing 
interest  and  dividends,  were  appropriated  as  a  fund  for  the 
support  of  common  schools,  to  be  applied  in  such  manner  as 
the  Legislature  should  from  time  to  time  direct." 

"By  acts  passed  March  13,  1807,  and  April  8,  1808,  the 
Comptroller  was  authorized  to  invest  such  moneys,  together 
with  the  funds  arising  from  the  proceeds  of  the  lotteries 
authorized  by  the  act  of  1803,  in  the  purchase  of  additional 
stock  of  the  Merchants'  Bank,  and  to  loan  the  residue  of  the 
fund."* 

On  the  19th  day  of  June,  1812,  an  act  was  passed  for  the 
establishment  of  common  schools  in  this  State,  and  provision 
was  soon  after  made,  in  accordance  with  the  act  of  1805,  for 
the  distribution  of  the  interest  arising  from  the  common 
school  fund.f  As  there  were  several  Societies  in  the  city  of 
New-York  at  this  time  already  engaged  in  the  work  of  edu- 
cating the  poor,  all  of  which  had  for  many  years  been  suc- 
cessfully and  satisfactorily  engaged  in  this  laudable  under- 
taking, a  law  was  passed  March  12th,  1813,  "directing 
that  the  portion  of  the  school  fund  received  by  the  city 
and  county  of  New-York  shall  be  apportioned  and  paid 
to  the  trustees  of  the  Free  School  Society  of  New-York, 


*  Common  School  System  of  the  State  of  Xew-York,  by  Samuel 
S.  Randall,  Dep.  Sup.  Com.  Scb.,  p.  9. 
f  Rand.  Com.  Scb.  Sys.  S.  X.  Y.  13. 


92  HISTORY    OF    THE    SCHOOL, 

the  trustees  or  treasurers  of  the  Orphan  Asylum  Society, 
the  Society  of  the  Economical  School,  the  African  free 
school,  and  of  such  incorporated  religious  Societies  in  said  city 
as  supported  or  should  establish  charity  schools,  who  might 
apply  for  the  same."  Under  the  operation  of  this  law,  as  the 
money  to  be  received  was  to  be  in  proportion  to  the  number 
of  scholars  on  register,  it  is  natural  to  suppose  that  efforts 
would  be  made  by  each  school  sharing  in  the  distribution  of 
the  fund,  to  obtain  as  many  scholars  as  possible.  So  far  as 
the  Dutch  Church  school  was  concerned,  however,  the  limit 
of  scholars  fixed  in  1809,  four  years  previously,  remained 
unaltered. 

Impressed  with  the  necessity  and  importance  of  imparting 
religious  instruction  to  the  youth  under  their  charge,  the  trus- 
tees  of  the  Free  School  Society,  "  on  the  suggestion,  and  to 
meet  the  wishes  of  numerous  well-meaning  individuals,  yielded 
readily  to  a  proposition  that  an  Association  of  more  than  fifty 
ladies,  of  high  respectability  and  of  different  religious  de- 
nominations, who  had  volunteered  for  the  purpose,  should 
meet  in  the  school-room  one  afternoon  in  each  week,  to  give 
instructions  (o  the  pupils  from  such  denominational  cate- 
chisms as  might  be  designated  by  their  parents.  At  the 
same  time,  to  meet  their  expressed  wishes,  monitors  were 
appointed  to  lead  them  on  the  Sabbath  to  their  appropriate 
places  of  worship."* 

This  movement  was  naturally  calculated  to  affect  the 
charity  schools  then  existing  in  the  city ;  and  on  receiving 
an  assurance  from  the  Free  School  Society  that  their  children 
should  enjoy  the  same  privileges,  literary  and  religious,  which 
they  had  enjoyed  among  themselves,  the  trustees  of  the 

"Vide  Sketch  of  the  Rise  and  Progress  Pub.  Scli.  Soc.,xxxvii.  An. 
Re.  20. 


FROM    1783    TO    THE    PRESENT   TIME.  93 

Presbyterian  school  relinquished  the  portion  of  the  State  fund 
to  which  they  were  entitled,  and  the  school  eventually  dis- 
banded ;  but  the  Dutch  Church,  adhering  to  her  principles 
on  this  subject,  and  to  the  practice  which  for  centuries  had 
obtained  with  her,  declined  the  overture  ;  and  the  Consistory 
on  the  14th  of  January  resolved  "  that  the  children  belonging 
to  the  Dutch  Church  who  attended  the  New-York  free  school, 
be  presented  each  with  a  catechism,  and  be  invited  to  attend 
a  public  catechising  every  Wednesday,  at  3  P.  M.,  in  the 
North  Church."* 

One  week  later,  a  communication  was  received  by  the 
Consistory  from  the  Free  School  Society,  accompanied  by  a 
resolution  of  the  trustees  of  that  institution,  in  the  following 
words : 

0 

"Resolved,  That  the  afternoon  of  Tuesday  (third  day)  in 
each  week  be  appropriated  for  the  instruction  of  the  children 
of  the  New-York  free  school  in  the  principles  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion  ;  and  in  order  that  they  may  be  educated  in  the 
peculiar  tenets  of  the  denomination  to  which  they  respectively 
belong,  the  several  churches  with  which  they  are  connected 
be  respectfully  invited  to  send  suitable  persons  to  catechise 
and  otherwise  so  to  instruct  them." 

Thereupon  the  Consistory  resolved, 

"  That  John  Vanderbilt  be  appointed  to  instruct  the  child- 
ren connected  with  the  Dutch  Church,  attending  the  New- 
York  free  school  on  the  day  designated,  until  further  arrange- 
ment be  made."f 

*  COD.  Rec.  Leg.  L  228. 

\  Con.  Rec.  Leg.  I.  232.  A  communication  and  resolution  of  the 
same  character  were  presented  to  the  Vestry  of  Trinity  Church, 
and  "it  was  thereupon  ordered  that  the  Assistant  Rector  and 
other  Clergy  of  this  church  be  requested  to  give  the  necessary 
attention  to  the  said  resolution,  and  that  200  Common  Prayer 


-  JI1STOKY    OF    TUB    SCHOOL, 

The  name  of  Mr.  Vanderbilt  does  not  occur  again  in  this 

connection ;  and  it  is  presumed  that  the  catechising  of  the 

children  connected  with  the  Dutch  Church  and  attending  the 

free  school  was  left  in  the  hands  of  the  ladies  associated  for 

.  that  purpose.* 

books  be  appropriated  to  the  use  of  the  scholars  who  belong  to 
the  Episcopal  Church,  to  be  distributed  under  the  direction  of  the 
Assistant  Hector."  Vide  Hist  Triu.  Ch.  p.  254. 

*  The  following  extracts  from  the  Annual  Reports  of  the  Free  School 
Society,  furnish  probably  all  the  information  now  to  be  had  upon 
this  subject. 

In  their  Ninth  Annual  Report,  bearing  date  May  2,  1814,  over 
the  signature  of  De  Witt  Clinton,  President,  after  speaking  of  the 
progress  of  their  pupils  in  intellectual  attainments,  the  Report  adds: 

"  While  the  Trustees  have  been  thus  engaged  in  communicating  to  the 
understandings  of  the  children,  the  elements  of  useful  knowledge,  they 
have  not  been  unmindful  of  the  importance  of  imbuing  their  minds  also 
with  a  sense  of  moral  and  religious  obligation." 

"The  afternoon  of  every  Tuesday,  or  third  day  of  the  week,  has 
been  set  apart  for  this  purpose;  and  the  children  have  been  instructed 
in  the  catechisms  of  the  churches  to  which  they  respectively  belong. 
This  pious  office  is  performed  by  an  Association  of  highly  respect- 
able ft-males,  who  are  in  profession  with  the  different  religious  deno- 
minations in  the  city.  The  number  of  children  educated  in  the  pecu- 
liar tenets  of  each  religious  community  is,  at  the  present  time,  as 
follows : 

Presbyterians,  -        -         -         -         271 

Episcopalians, 18C 

Methodists, 172 

Baptist", 119 

Dutch  Church,         ....  41 

Roman  Catholic,         ....         9 

"In  the  furtherance  of  the  same  interesting  object,  the  children 
have  been  required  to  assemble  at  their  respective  schools  on  the 
morning  of  every  S:ibbath,  and  proceed,  under  the  care  of  u  monitor, 
to  such  place  of  public  worship  as  was  designated  by  their  parents  or 
guardians.     This  requisition  has  been  regularly  attended  to  tiy  many, 
but  the  want  of  suitable  clothing  has  prevented  others  from  comply- 
ing with  it.     It  is  believed  th:it  this  deficiency  might  be  amply  snp- 
Elied  bv  the  appropriation  to  this  purpose  of  the  garments  which  are 
lid  aside  as  useless,  in  the  families  of  our  wealthy  fellow-citizens. 
And,  surely,  few  acts  of  charity  could  be  more  truly  benevolent  and 


FROM    1783    TO    THE    PRESENT   TIME.  95 

The  disparagement  between  the  number  of  children  at- 
tending these  schools  from  the  Presbyterian  and  Dutch 
churches,  the  former  being  37  per  cent,  and  the  latter  only 
4  per  cent.,  may  be  accounted  for  by  the  discontinuance  of 
the  Presbyterian  charity  school,  as  above  stated  ;  while  the 
Dutch  Church  continued  to  sustain  her  institution,  and  the 
weekly  catechetical  expositions  to  her  children. 

In  the  year  1815,  in  order  to  give  more  efficiency  to  these 
exercises,  the  Consistory  resolved  that  each  of  the  ministers 

useful.  It  would  not  only  contribute  to  the  personal  comfort  of  the 
children,  but  it  would  enable  them  to  join  in  the  public  celebration  of 
religious  worship." 

"  In  cases  where  an  attendance  at  school  previous  to  going  to  church 
is  particularly  inconvenient,  liberty  has  been  given  for  the  children  to 
attend  public  worship  in  company  with  their  parents  or  guardians." 
Extract  from  the  Tenth  Annual  Report  of  May  1,  1815 : 
"  The  office  of  communicating  religious  instruction  to  the  children, 
by  teaching  them  the  catechisms  of  their  respective  churches,  is  still 
performed  by  the  Association  of  benevolent  females  who  so  zealously 
engaged  in  it.     Their  kindness  has  also  prompted  them   to  furn^h 
many  of  the  scholars  with  comfortable  clothing  during  the  late  incle- 
ment season." 

"  The  children  at  present  under  the  care  of  the  Society  are  said  to 
belong  to  the  different  religious  denominations  as  follows: 
Presbyterians,  ....         355 

Methodists, 175 

Episcopalian?,  -         -         -         -         159 

Baptists, 144 

Roman  Catholic?,      ....          57 

Dutch  Church, 33." 

Extract  from  the  Eleventh  Annual  Report,  May  6,  1816 : 
"The   children   continue   to   receive   the   advantages  of  religious 
instruction  communicated  to  them  from  the  catechisms  used  in  the 
respective  churches  to  which  they  belong,  in  the  manner  mentioned  in 
the  Report  of  List  year." 

The  wide  extension  of  the  free  schools,  and  the  establishment  this 
year  of  Sunday-schools, "  to  which  excellent  institutions  they  thereafter 
commended  their  pupils,"  led  to  a  discontinuance  of  this  measure. 

The  free  schools  in  operation  at  this  time  were  No.  1,  opened  in 
1809,  at  the  corner  of  Chatham  street  and  Try  on  Row ;  and  No.  2, 


96  HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 

ought  to  have  separate  classes  of  the  children  and  youth,  and 
on  different  days,  so  as  not  to  interfere  with  each  other ;  and 
the  ministers  were  directed  to  carry  this  out.  Two  months 
subsequently,  on  the  request  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Milledoler,  the 
Elders  Wilson  and  Duryee  were  appointed  to  assist  him  in 
catechising  the  children,*  Mr.  Forrester's  scholars,  in  common 
with  the  other  children  connected  with  the  Dutch  Church, 
assembling  as  usual  in  a  body  for  that  purpose. 

1818,  March  12. — The  Teacher's  Annual  Report  to  Con- 
sistory sets  forth  the  attainments  of  the  children  at  this  time, 
and  presents  the  school  in  a  very  favorable  aspect.  lie  says  : 
"  The  school  consists  of  100  scholars,  viz.,  76  boys  and  24- 
girls.  Of  these,  24  boys  and  8  girls  read  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, and  17  boys  and  11  girls,  in  the  New  Testament;  the 
remaining  15  boys  and  >  girls  write  on  sand-tables,  and 
read  in  the  Child's  Instructor,  and  Spelling-Book:  48  boys 
and  12  girls  are  in  arithmetic;  5  of  the  boys  have  been 
through  Vulgar  and  Decimal  Fractions,  and  are  now  in 
Interest.  The  second  class  consists  of  10  in  the  Rule  of 
Three.  The  third  class,  of  10  in  Reduction.  The  fourth 
class,  of  19  in  Compound  Addition  :  7  of  the  girls  have  been 
through  Practice,  and  6  more  are  in  Compound  Addition  ;  43 
boys  and  12  girls  recite  a  new  section  of  the  Heidelbergh 

opened  in  1811,  in  Henry  street.  The  original  object  of  this  Society 
was  "  the  education  of  children  who  do  not  belong  to,  and  are  not  pro- 
vided for  by  any  religious  society ;"  but  in  1 808,  they  received  "  author- 
ity to  educate  all  children  who  were  proper  objects  of  gratuitous 
instruction."  Clothing  donated  for  the  purpose  was  at  times  distri- 
buted to  the  necessitous.  For  the  use  of  the  Reports  from  which 
the  above  extracts  were  t\ken,  the  author  is  indebted  to  the  kindness 
of  Samuel  W.  Seton,  an  individual  who  has  rendered  incalculable  (ser- 
vice to  the  cause  of  education  iu  this  city. 
*  Con.  Rec.  Leg.  I.  840,  350. 


FROM    1783    TO    THE    PRESENT   TIME.  97 

Catechism  every  week;  31  boys  and  10  girls  study  the 
Shorter  Catechism,  and  every  week  commit  a  portion  thereof 
to  memory,  according  to  their  several  capacities :  24  of  the 
children  can  recite  the  Heidelbergh  Catechism  throughout." 

The  Annual  Report  of  the  Trustees,  accompanying  that  of 
the  teacher,  closes  with  the  following  commendatory  lan- 
guage, which  shows  the  high  estimation  in  which  his  services 
were  regarded :  u  The  Board  rejoices  in  being  able  to  say 
that  they  are  satis6ed  with  the  zeal,  ability,  and  attention  of 
the  teacher,  and  particularly  with  the  parental  care  with 
which  he  watches  over  the  religious  and  moral  condition  of 
those  committed  to  his  charge." 

December  24. — Commenced  the  custom  of  closing  the 
school  between  Christmas  and  New- Year's. 

December  28. — Hereafter  the  school  was  kept  from  nine 
o'clock  to  three,  from  the  15th  of  November  to  the  15th  of 
March. 

1819,  March  4. — A  committee  of  Consistory  having  de- 
termined that  the  state  of  the  funds  warranted  an  increase 
of  scholars,  the  number  was  extended  from  one  hundred  to 
one  hundred  and  ten. 

April  26. — Bell's  system  of  instruction  was  introduced 
into  the  school. 

December  27. — The  parents  were  required  to  furnish  cer- 
tificates of  the  baptism  of  children  hereafter  admitted. 

1820,  May  29. — From  this  date  the  school  sessions  have 
been  between  the  hours  of  nine  and  three,  throughout  the 
year. 

1825. — During  the  years   1796,   1797,  and  1801,  this 

school,  in  connection  with  the  other  charity  Schools  of  this 

city,  received  from   the   State   certain   appropriations,  and 

enjoyed  for  a  number  of  years,  in  common  with  the  Free 

5 


98 

School  Society,  and  other  educational  institutions,  the  privi- 
leges granted  by  the  law  of  1813;  but,  in  the  year  1820, 
the  Bethel  Baptift  Church  organized  a  free  school  in  the 
basement  of  the  church  corner  of  Delancey  and  Chrystie 
streets;  and  subsequently,  in  1822  and  1823,  by  the  per- 
mission of  the  Legislature,  two  others,  from  the  surplus  money 
which  they  had  in  hand :  thus  they  enjoyed  privileges 
equal  to  those  of  the  Free  School  Society,  the  Trustees  of 
which,  apprehensive  that  the  buildings  thus  erected  for  the 
Bethel  free  school,  "  becoming  church  property,  might  also  be 
appropriated  to  other  purposes  than  exclusively  for  the 
education  of  the  poor,"  memorialized,  with  the  sanction 
and  cooperation  of  the  Common  Council,  the  State  Legis- 
lature for  a  repeal  of  the  law  enacted  in  favor  of  the 
Baptists,  and  for  an  amendment  to  the  law  relative  to  the 
distribution  of  the  school-fund  in  this  city,  so  as  "  to  prevent 
any  religious  society,  entitled  to  a  participation  in  the  fund, 
from  drawing  for  any  other  than  the  poor  children  of  their 
respective  congregations."  "  For,"  say  they,  "  the  Bethel 
fre$  schools  have  taken  away  many  scholars  from  the  Soci- 
ety's schools,  and  thereby  diminished  the  amount  of  attend- 
ance upon  them,  and,  consequently,  their  revenue  derived 
from  the  Common- school  Fund." 

The  Trustees  of  the  Free  School  Society  thought  also  that 
they  had  "discovered  a  manifestation  of  a  disposition,  on  the 
part  of  some  other  religious  societies,  to  follow  the  example 
of  the  Bethel  Baptist  Church  to  the  extent  of  enlarging  their 
schools  so  as  to  receive  for  instruction  poor  children  gene- 
rally, without  restricting  themselves,  as  heretofore,  to  those  of 
their  own  particular  congregations.  A  school  of  this  descrip- 
tion has  been  opened  in  Grace  Churcb,  under  the  pastoral  care 
of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wainwright ;  another,  for  the  education  of 
female  children,  by  the  Congregational  Church  in  Chambers 


FKOM    1783    TO    THE    PRESENT    TIME.  99 

street;  and  a  third  will  soon  be  opened  by  the  Dutch 
Church,  in  the  large  rooms  in  Harmony  Hall,  at  the  corner 
of  William  and  Duane  streets ;"  "  and  when  it  [the  Dutch 
Church  School]  shall  get  in  full  operation,  the  Trustees  have 
little  doubt  that  they  shall  be  under  the  necessity  of  discon- 
tinuing Free  School  No.  1." 

So  far  as  the  location  of  the  Dutch  Church  School  and  the 
intentions  of  its  Trustees  were  concerned,  the  knowledge  of  a 
few  facts  would  have  materially  allayed  the  fears  of  the  Trustees 
of  the  Free  School  Society.  Since  the  year  1809,  when  the 
six  pay-scholars  allowed  the  teacher  were  removed,  up  to  the 
present  day,  the  school  has  been  sustained  exclusively  for 
children  whose  parents  were  either  members  or  habitual 
attendants  of  the  Dutch  Church.  The  Trustees  never  enter- 
tained the  idea  of  "  conferring  a  gratuitous  education  upon 
poor  children,  without  distinction  of  sect,"  which  was  the 
peculiar  province  of  the  Free  School  Society.  From  the  year 
1809  to  1819,  the  number  of  children  to  be  received  into  the 
Dutch  Church  School  was  limited  by  Consistory  to  one 
hundred. 

Again,  the  erection  of  additional  school-houses  was  never 
contemplated  by  the  Dutch  Church.  For  seventy-six  years 
the  school  had  been  held  in  Garden  street;  and  the  general 
occupation  of  this  section  of  the  city  at  this  period  by  mer- 
cantile warehouses,  and  the  consequent  removal  of  the  most 
of  the  children  from  the  neighborhood  of  the  school,  rendered 
its  removal  to  a  more  convenient  locality  a  work  of  absolute  v 
necessity.  And  when  the  school  was  opened  in  Duane  street, 
the  premises  in  Garden  street  were  leased  for  a  number  of 
years,  and  occupied  for  other  purposes ;  and  the  fear  ex- 
pressed that  the  four  hundred  and  sixty-six  children  attending 
Free  School  No.  1  would  be  withdrawn  from  it,  to  attend  the 
Dutch  Church  School,  was  groundless,  as  accommodations 


100  HISTORY    OF   TUB    SCHOOL, 

were  provided  in  Duane  street  for  no  more  scholars  than  the 
Trustees  were  restricted  by  Consistory  to  receive. 

The  strenuous  opposition  of  Rev.  Johnson  Chase,  the  prin- 
cipal opponent  to  the  revision  of  the  lave,  as  proposed  by  the 
Free  School  Society,  was  of  little  avail,  as  in  the  November 
session  of  1824,  the  Legislature  passed  "an  act  by  which 
that  portion  of  the  common  school  fund,  drawn  for  the  city 
of  New- York,  was  left  to  the  disposal  of  the  Common  Coun- 
cil, who  were  directed  by  it  to  designate  to  whom  such  dis- 
tribution should  from  time  to  time  be  made."  The  com- 
mittee of  the  Common  Council  to  whom  the  subject  was 
referred  to  hear  and  report  upon  the  claims  of  the  respective 
parties  applying  under  this  act  for  a  share  of  the  fund,  deeming 
"  that  the  school  fund  of  the  State  was  purely  of  a  civil  cha- 
racter, designed  for  civil  purposes ;  and  that  the  intrusting 
of  it  to  religious  or  ecclesiastical  bodies  was  a  violation  of  an 
elementary  principle  in  the  politics  of  the  State  and  coun- 
try," "reported  against  distributing  any  portion  of  the 
fund  to  the  schools  of  religious  societies;"  and  in  1825,  in- 
troduced an  ordinance,  which  was  unanimously  adopted, 
directing  the  distribution  to  be  made  to  the  "  Free  School 
Society,"  "Mechanics'  Society,"  the  "Orphan  Asylum  So- 
ciety," and  the  "  Trustees  of  the  African  Schools."* 

1831. — During  Mr.  Forrester's  connection  with  the  school, 
it  had  no  female  teacher,  consequently  the  girls  were  not 
instructed  in  needlework.f  To  meet  this  want,  Miss  Eliza 
Duryee  informed  the  Board,  November,  1831,  that  an  Asso- 
ciation had  been  formed  by  several  ladies  for  the  purpose  of 
teaching  the  children  the  ordinary  branches  of  sewing  and 
needlework ;  and  it  was  resolved  that  this  facility  should  be 

*  For  the  details  of  this  whole  subject,  vide  xx.  An.  Rep.  N.  Y.  P. 
S.  Soc.  1825. 
f  With  the  exception  stated  ante,  p.  86. 


FROM    1*783    TO    THE    PRESENT   TIME.  101 

afforded  to  the  girls  two  afternoons  in  the  week ;  this  regu- 
lation existed  for  some  time. 

September  8,  1835. — The  death  of  their  late  President 
having  been  announced  to  the  Board,  they  unanimously 

"Resolved,  That  in  the  decease  of  our  beloved  and  lamented 
friend,  Richard  Duryee,  we  have  been  deprived  of  an  able 
counsellor,  a  warm-hearted  friend,  and  an  active,  useful  mem- 
ber of  this  Board. 

"Resolved,  That  the  charity  children  of  this  church  have 
sustained  an  irreparable  loss,  in  his  fervent  prayers,  affection- 
ate admonition,  and  Christian  example. 

"Resolved,  That  we  recognize  the  hand  of  our  covenant  God 
in  taking  him  to  his  eternal  rest,  and  bow  with  submission 
to  His  holy  will,  believing  that  our  loss  is  his  gain. 

"Resolved,  That  we  tender  to  his  bereaved  widow  and 
afflicted  family  our  sincere  and  warm  sympathies  under  this 
painful  stroke  of  Divine  Providence,  and  commend  them  to 
the  guidance,  support,  and  protection  of  Him  who  hath  said, 
'  Leave  thy  fatherless  children  ;  I  will  preserve  them  alive  ; 
and  let  thy  widows  trust  in  me.' 

"Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  the  above  resolutions  be  pre- 
sented by  the  Secretary  to  his  widow." 

1840. — The  increase  of  our  denomination  in  the  city,  and 
the  growing  demand  for  a  more  extended  course  of  study 
than  that  pursued  in  the  school,  had  long  impressed  the  Trus- 
tees with  the  necessity  of  endeavoring  to  procure  an  edifice 
for  the  express  accommodation  of  the  school,  and  of  devising 
such  ways  and  means  for  increasing  its  income,  that  its  bene- 
fits might  be  more  greatly  extended. 

After  mature  deliberation,  a  communication,*  prepared  by 
the  Secretary,  fully  expressing  the  unanimous  views  of  the 
Board  upon  these  subjects,  was  presented  to  Consistory. 

1842. — Mr.  Forrester,  the  Principal  of  the  school,  was  now 
approaching  the  allotted  period  of  threescore  and  ten. 

*  Vide  True.  Min.  iii.  116  et  seq. 


102  HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 

For  more  than  forty-five  years,  the  last  thirty-two  of  which 
he  had  spent  in  this  school,  he  had  been  engaged  in  perform- 
ing the  arduous  and  responsible  duties  which  devolve  upon 
an  instructor  of  youth,  and  the  Trustees  felt  that  he  "  ought 
to  be  relieved  in  a  great  measure  from  the  bustle  and  noise 
with  which  he  had  so  long  been  surrounded,  and  be  suffered 
to  enjoy  his  advancing  age  with  more  peace  and  quietness 
than  could  be  expected  if  required  to  continue  in  his  present 
station."  They  therefore  recommended  a  division  of  the  labors 
of  the  school,  by  the  employment  of  a  younger  person  for 
the  general  education  of  the  children,  while  Mr.  Forrester 
should  be  retained  as  catechist.  In  doing  this,  the  Trustees 
cheerfully  bore  their  testimony  to  the  faithfulness  of  Mr.  For- 
rester, and  of  their  confidence  in  his  desire  to  promote  the 
welfare  of  the  children.  Those  whom  he  had  instructed  in 
the  year  1810,  the  first  year  of  his  connection  with  the  school, 
if  still  living,  had  now  attained  to  middle  age.  During  this 
period,  in  the  commencement  of  which  the  schools  of  this 
country  were  in  their  infancy,  rapid  advances  had  been  made 
in  the  system  of  instruction ;  many  new  text-books  had  come 
into  use,  and  studies  had  been  introduced  into  the  schools, 
which  at  an  earlier  period  would  have  been  deemed  super- 
fluous ;  and  it  was  with  the  view  of  enabling  the  school  to 
enjoy  the  advantages  of  these  improvements  that  the  Trustees 
proposed  the  above  change.  Consistory  having  taken  action 
upon  the  subject,  the  object  which  the  Trustees  had  in  view 
was  consummated  in  1842  by  the  appointment  of  the  present 
Principal.  Mr.  Forrester  was  retained  as  catechist,  the  duties 
pertaining  to  which  office  he  faithfully  performed  for  twelve 
months,  when  his  connection  with  the  school  ceased  alto- 
gether.* 

*  Mr.  Forrester  vcas  born  iu  the  environs  of  tbe  city  of  Edinburgh, 
February  25,  1775,  and  was  baptized  in  the  West  Kirk  by  Sir  Harry 


FROM    1783    TO    THE    PRESENT   TIME.  103 

Thirty-three  years  !  One  generation  had  passed  away,  and 
another  bad  taken  its  place  on  the  stage  of  existence. 

Forty-five  years  of  joy  and  sorrow,  of  labor  and  reward  ! 
Eternity  alone  can  reveal  the  nature  and  importance  of  those 
influences  which  it  is  the  duty  and  privilege  of  a  teacher  to 
exert,  for  so  many  years,  over  the  hearts  and  urinds  of  young 
immortal  beings. 

Many  are  they,  now  members  of  the  body  of  Christ,  whose 
religious  feelings  and  exercises  were  called  forth  and  strength- 
ened while  under  his  instruction ;  and  to  him  it  is  ever  a 
source  of  grateful  acknowledgment,  that  he  has  been  the 
instrument,  under  God's  hand,  of  leading  so  many  to  walk  in 
the  ways  of  truth. 

Mr.  Forrester,  in  withdrawing  from  the  charge  which  he 
had  so  long  sustained,  retired  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  "  confi- 
dence and  esteem  of  the  Trustees  in  his  moral  and  Christian 
character,  and  in  his  desire  to  promote  the  well-being  of  the 
numerous  children  which  had  been  intrusted  to  his  care." 

Though  on  the  verge  of  eighty,  and  experiencing  the  in- 
firmities of  declining  years,  he  still  survives  among  us,  a 
monument  of  the  faithfulness  and  mercy  of  a  covenant  God. 

Moncrief.  In  the  year  1794,  he  set  sail  for  America.  Before  reach- 
ing port,  he,  with  a  number  of  others,  was  impressed  and  placed  on  the 
British  man-of-war,  the  "Africa."  Subsequently,  for  some  reason  un- 
known to  him,  he  was  placed  on  board  the  ship  Fanny,  and  landed 
October  16,  at  the  Fly  Market  He  shortly  afterwards  located  in 
Tappan.  In  the  year  1795,  at  the  age  of  twenty  years,  he  commenced 
teaching  school  at  Closter.  Here  he  remained  three  years  and  a  half, 
when  he  returned  to  the  "  Liberty  Pole,"  six  miles  nearer  to  this  city. 
Here  he  taught  for  eight  years,  when  he  was  offered  the  charge  of  the 
school  in  Nassau  street,  opposite  the  Middle  Dutch  Church,  then  under 
the  care  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Having  spent  three  years  in 
this  connection,  he  was  appointed,  in  the  year  1810,  as  the  master  of 
the  Dutch  Reformed  Church  School 


104  HISTORY    OF   THE   SCHOOL, 

^Heretofore,  the  children  of  both  sexes  had  been  classified 
together  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  instruction  ;  but  on  the 
reorganization  of  the  school  in  1842,  the  girls  were  segre- 
gated, and  placed  under  the  supervision  and  care  of  Miss 
Frances  Campbell.  This  was  an  important  advantage  se- 
cured to  the  school,  the  need  of  which  had  been  long  felt. 

In  the  year  1844,  Miss  Campbell  resigned  her  charge  to 
take  charge  of  a  school  out  of  the  city,  and  Miss  Henrietta 
G-arus,  who  for  a  number  of  years  had  been  a  pupil  in  the 
school,  was  appointed  to  fill  her  place.  Her  marriage  and 
retirement,  in  November,  1846,  led  to  the  appointment  of  the 
present  efficient  teacher. 

Within  the  past  seven  years,  Mr.  John  H.  MaGon jgle  and 
the  Misses  Sarah  and  Rachel  Mickens,  from  being  scholars  in 
the  school,  arose  to  the  occupancy  of  subordinate  stations  as 
instructors  in  the  junior  classes  ;  and  the  duties  devolving 
upon  them,  in  the  capacities  which  they  severally  sustained, 
were  rendered  with  efficiency  and  satisfaction. 

It  is  ever  a  subject  of  regret,  when  any  institution  is  de- 
prived of  the  counsel?,  }alx>rs,  and  prayers  of  an  efficient 
officer,  through  whose  instrumentality  its  advantages  have 
been  secured  and  its  best  interests  advanced. 

Such  a  deprivation  this  school  was  called  to  experience  in 
1848,  in  the  decease  of  Noah  Wetmore,  Esq.  For  the 
thirteen  years  that  he  had  been  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees,  (a  period  longer  than  any  of  his  predecessors  in 
office  had  served,)  he  had  been  its  presiding  officer.  Possess- 
ing, in  an  eminent  degree,  those  estimable  qualities  which 
ever  adorn  the  man  and  the  Christian,  he  enjoyed  uninter- 
ruptedly the  esteem  and  confidence  of  aH  who  knew  him. 
Within  a  few  years  previous  to  his  decease,  persuaded  by 
the  weight  of  increasing  infirmities  that  his  days  of  active 
usefulness  were  drawing  to  a  close,  he  frequently  expressed  a 


FROM  1783  TO  THE  PRESENT  TIME.         105 

desire  to  retire  from  the  Board  ;  but  its  members,  unwilling 
to  lose  his  valuable  counsels  and  prayers,  induced  him  to 
retain  his  seat;  and  he  continued  to  perform  the  functions 
pertaining  to  his  office  till  within  a  few  weeks  of  his  decease. 
And  when  at  last,  * 

"  Life's  duty  done,  its  trials  o'er," 

he  "  fell  on  sleep,"  the  Trustees  experienced  the  double  loss 
of  an  able  counsellor  and  a  private  friend. 

The  institution  over  which  he  so  long  presided  was  with 
him  an  object  of  special  interest,  and  memory  dwells  with 
peculiar  delight  on  the  touching,  impressive,  and  fervent 
prayers  which  he  offered  in  its  behalf. 

All  the  children  loved  him ;  and  when  summoned  to  sur- 
round his  bier,  the  remembrance  of  his  solicitude  for  their 
spiritual  welfare  and  of  his  counsels,  coming  as  they  did  from 
a  warm  heart,  full  of  fatherly  kindness  and  love,  caused  many 
tears  of  heartfelt  sorrow. 

May  his  prayers  for  them  and  for  the  church  which  so 
long  and  so  kindly  nurtured  them  be  answered ;  and  may 
his  counsels  to  them  be  so  implicitly  followed  that  their  last 
end  may  be  like  his  ! 


5* 


106  BISTORT    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 


ATTENDANCE  OP  THE  CHILDREN  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

IN  conformity  with  a  prominent  feature  of  this  institution, 
which  happily  combines  religious  with  intellectual  educa- 
tion, its  pupils,  independent  of  instruction  in  the  principles  of 
divine  truth  received  through  the  week,  have  ever  been  re- 
quired to  attend  divine  service  on  the  Sabbath.  Subsequent 
to  the  Revolutionary  War,  the  children  assembled  every  Sab- 
bath at  the  school-room  in  Garden  street,  in  ample  time  to 
proceed  with  their  teacher  to  the  seats  provided  for  them  in 
the  "  Old  Church." 

After  Sabbath-schools  were  established  in  the  city,  they 
attended  the  one  held  in  the  Consistory  building,  at  the  cor- 
ner of  Nassau  and  Ann  streets,  till  the  year  1829,  when  a 
school  was  organized  in  the  New  or  Middle  Church  ;  and 
here,  under  Sabbath-school  instruction  and  the  teachings  of 
the  sacred  desk,  they  remained  till  the  year  1840,  when  they 
occupied  the  gallery  of  the  North  Church,  attending  at  the 
same  time  the  Sabbath-school  in  Ann  street.  In  September, 
1841,  a  majority  of  the  children  having  been  found  to  reside 
north  of  Grand  street,  Consistory  directed  them  to  attend 
the  Sabbath-school  and  church  in  Ninth  street. 

* 

This  institution  being  the  only  one  of  the  kind  connected 
with  the  Dutch  Church,  and  being  composed  of  children 
whose  parents  resided  in  the  vicinity  of  the  churches  which 
they  respectively  attended,  it  became  an  onerous  duty  for  the 
scholars  to  attend  twice  on  the  Sabbath,  from  distances 
ranging  from  Dey  street  to  Twenty-third  street,  and  from  the 
North  to  the  East  river ;  and  many  communications  on  the 


FROM  1783  TO  THE  PRESENT  TIME.        107 

subject  having  been  addressed  to  the  Trustees  by  the  parents, 
the  Consistory,  in  January,  1847,  granted  the  Board  the 
privilege  of  permitting  the  children  to  attend  Sabbath-school 
and  church  at  those  churches  with  which  their  parents  were 
connected,  and  near  which  they  resided. 

This  privilege  is  now  generally  enjoyed  by  the  children, 
under  the  following  regulations,  which  accompany  each  cer- 
tificate : 

"Resolved,  That  in  all  cases  in  which  any  pupil  of  the  school 
is  permitted  to  attend  Sabbath-school  and  church  elsewhere 
than  at  Ninth  street,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  such  child  to  pro- 
duce a  monthly  certificate  from  his  Superintendent,  that  he 
Eegularly  attends  the  Sabbath-school  and  church  with  which  he 
is  connected ;  and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Principal  of  the 
school  to  report  all  cases  of  omission  to  this  Board,  accompanied 
with  explanations  of  the  cause." 

"Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  communicated  by 
the  Principal  to  parents,  guardians,  and  Superintendents  who 
are  interested  in  the  same." 

As  one  great  object  of  the  school  is  religious  instruction,  the 
above  resolutions  have  been  adopted,  that  the  Trustees  may  be 
assured  that  the  Sabbath  is  not  violated  by  any  of  the  pupils  of 
the  school,  but  that  they  are  in  the  enjoyment  of  religious 
instruction  in  the  Sabbath-school,  and  under  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel.  THOMAS  JEREMIAH,  Secretary. 

January  25,  1847. 


108  BISTORT    OF   THE    8CHOOX, 


REYEHUE   OF    THE    SCHOOL. 

DURING  the  first  thirty  years  of  the  existence  of  the  school, 
its  teachers,  appointed  by  the  Dutch  West  India  Company, 
in  connection  with  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam,  were  remune- 
rated from  the  treasury  of  the  Colonial  Government. 

While  the  city  was  urxler  the  jurisdiction  of  the  English, 
the  support  of  the  school  devolved  entirely  upon  Consistory. 
Whether  its  expenses,  which  were  not  very  great,  were  de- 
frayed by  annual  collections  in  the  churches,  or  by  a  resort  to 
such  limited  sources  of  revenue  as  the  Church  may  have 
possessed,  cannot  be  definitely  ascertained. 

On  the  reorganization  of  the  school,  subsequent  to  the 
Revolutionary  War,  commencing  in  1789,  collections  were 
annually  made  in  the  three  branches  of  the  Collegiate 
Church.  The  money  thus  obtained  was  expended  in  clothing 
the  children  ;  the  teacher's  salary,  and  other  expenses  of  the 
school,  were  defrayed  from  the  general  fund  of  the  Church. 

Subsequently,  (1792,)  a  legacy,  amounting  to  seven  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars,  was  bequeathed  by  Elias  Brevoort  to 
Consistory,  for  the  benefit  of  the  school.  This  gave  rise  to 
an  effort  "  to  secure  an  independent  revenue  for  the  future 
advancement  of  the  seminary  ;"  and  it  was  Resolved,  "That 
measures  be  taken  for  establishing  a  fund  to  be  put  at  in- 
terest." "That,  in  addition  to  testamentary  and  other  dona- 
tions which  have  been  or  may  be  given  for  the  support  of  the 
school,  the  overplus  of  all  moneys  annually  collected,  after 
the  payment  of  all  charges,  be  added  to  the  fund."  "  That 
all  money  received  and  collected  for  the  use  of  the  school 


FROM    I7v3    TO    THE    PBESEKT   TIME.  109 

9 

shall  be  received  by  the  Treasurer,  and  paid  by  him,  on  the 
•warrants  of  Consistory."  In  the  year  1808,  this  was  amended 
so  as  to  read,  "  on  the  audit  and  order  of  the  Board  of  Trus- 
tees only,  and  not  otherwise."  And  it  was  further  Resolved, 
(1792,)  "That  the  Treasurer  shall  hereafter  keep  a  separate 
and  distinct  account  of  all  moneys  received  on  account  of  this 
fund,  and  of  their  appropriation  ;  and  that  both  principal  and 
interest  of  said  moneys  shall  be  applied  invariably  to  the 
maintenance  of  this  charity,  and  the  promotion  of  its  in- 
terests." The  Treasurer,  in  his  Annual  Report  to  Consistory, 
renders  an  account  of  the  receipts  and  expenditures  of  this 
fund,  which  report  is  audited  by  a  Committee  of  Consistory, 
appointed  for  the  purpose. 

As  the  combined  result  of  four  different  legacies,*  acd 
annual  collections  in  the  Collegiate  Church,  the  fund  of  the 
school,  in  1826,  amounted  to  eleven  thousand  and  twenty- 
seven  dollars  and  ninety-two  cents.  ($11,027  92.) 

This  was  subsequently  increased  by  annual  collections  in 
the  Collegiate  Church,  so  that,  in  1847,  the  fund  amounted 
to  sixteen  thousand  two  hundred  and  eighteen  dollars  and 
eight  cents.  ($16,218  08.) 

The  purchase  of  the  lots  on  Fourth  street,  and  the  erection 
of  the  J.chool-house,  exhausted  $9,260  70  of  this ;  which, 
with  subsequent  outlays  upon  the  building,  amounting  to 
$561  79,  leaves  the  amount  now  in  the  Treasurer's  hands 
$6,395  59. 

The  salaries  of  the  teachers,  the  clothing  of  the  children, 
fuel,  books,  and  stationery,  amounted,  for  the  year  1852, 
according  to  the  Treasurer's  Annual  Report,  to  $2,412  72. 

The  income  from  the  different  sources  of  revenue,  for  the 

*Elia3  Brevoort's,  1*792,  $750;  Sarah  De  Peyster's,  1802,  $5,392 
•78 ;  Isaac  Slidell's,  1804,  $831  37 ;  Mary  Bassett's,  1807,  $1,500. 


110  HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 

« 

same   year,  amounted   to  $1,121  74 :  leaving  a  deficit  of 
$1,290  98,  which  was  met  by  Consistory. 

Is  there  not  sufficient  of  the  spirit  of  our  godly  ancestors, 
who  founded  and  sustained  the  school  for  so  many  genera- 
tions, to  induce  its  friends,  in  view  of  the  incalculable  good 
which  the  institution  has  accomplished  in  days  that  are  past; 
in  view  of  its  present  acknowledged  usefulness  to  the  children 
of  our  Church,  to  make  an  effort  to  secure  for  it  an  inde- 
pendent fund,  fully  adequate  to  its  support?  We  believe 
that  there  is. 


FROM    1783    TO    THE    PRESENT    TIME.  1    1 


LOCALITY  OF  THE  SCHOOL. 

FOR  more  than  a  hundred  years  after  its  establishment,  the 
school  was  kept  at  various  places  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Bowling-Green,  apartments  being  hired  for  that  purpose. 
The  first  edifice  erected  for  its  accommodation  was  in  Garden 
street,  in  •frfl'CH:,  and  here  it  remained  for  a  period  of 
seventy-six  years;  but  as  the  congregation  removed  from 
the  lower  extremity  of  the  city,  the  North  Church  be- 
came its  centre  ;  and  under  these  circumstances,  the  pro- 
perty, No.  9  Duane  street,  near  William  street,  was  leased  ; 
and  after  undergoing  some  necessary  alterations  the  school 
was  removed  thither;  and  a  dwelling-house  for  the  teacher 
(in  lieu  of  the  one  vacated  in  Garden  street)  was  erected 
in  William  street,  east  of  Duane  street.  The  Shaks- 
peare  Hotel  now  occupies  the  space  formerly  intervening 
between  the  school-house  and  the  teacher's  residence.  Here 
the  school  remained  till  1835,  when  it  removed  to  No.  106 
Elm  street,  south-west  corner  of  Canal  street,  and  the  teacher 
resided  No.  25  Carmine  street. 

From  1836  to  1841,  it  occupied  the  basement  of  the 
church  corner  of  Broome  and  Greene  streets,  removing  thence 
to  the  basement  of  the  church  on  the  corner  of  Greene  and 
Houston  streets,  where  it  remained  for  one  year,  removing,  in 
1842,  to  the  premises  No.  91  Mercer  street.  Here  it  con- 
tinued for  five  years,  when  a  temporary  provision  was  made 
for  it  in  the  basement  of  the  Ninth  Street  Church,  pending 
the  erection  of  the  present  edifice, 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1840,  the  Trustees,  impelled 


112  HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 

by  a  sense  of  duty  towards  the  children  under  their  care, 
prepared  and  presented  a  communication  to  Consistory,  in 
which  their  attention  was  drawn  to  the  necessity  of  providing 
a  suitable  and  permanent  locality  for  the  school,  as  previously 
mentioned,  and  of  adopting  such  other  reformatory  measures 
as  would  be  calculated  to  increase  the  efficiency  of  the  insti- 
tution over  which  they  presided.  This  was  the  commence- 
ment of  a  series  of  efforts  which  secured  to  the  school,  from 
time  to  time,  important  advantages,  and  which,  after  a  period 
of  seven  years,  eventuated  in  the  purchase  of  the  ground  in 
Fourth  street.  Immediate  measures  were*taJsen  to  erect 
thereon  an  edifice  suitable  for  school  purposes,  Messrs.  PETER 
R.  WARNER,  MORTIMER  DE  MOTTE,  and  THOMAS  JEREMIAH 
constituting  the  Building  Committee. 

Ground  was  broken  in  July,  1847,  and  on  the  10th  day 
of  November  following,  Noah  Wetmore,  Esq.,  who  was  then, 
and  had  been  for  many  years,  the  presiding  officer  in  the 
Board  of  Trustees,  commenced  the  opening  exercises  of  the 
school  in  the  present  edifice,  by  commending  the  school  in 
all  its  interests  to  the  favor  of  the  Almighty. 

The  labors  and  prayers  of  this  venerable  man  of  God,  in 
behalf  of  the  institution,  had  been  many  and  fervent ;  and 
as  he  remembered  God's  goodness  towards  it  in  former  days, 
and  looked  upon  its  present  condition  and  prospects,  the 
expression  of  his  feelings  in  prayer,  flowing  from  a  confiding 
and  grateful  heart,  was  such  that  all  present  were  deeply 
affected. 


FROM    1783    TO    THE    PRESENT   TIME. 


113 


NAMES    OF     THE    MEMBERS 

OF   THE   BOARD    OF   TRUSTEES,    FROM    THE   YEAR   1808   TO   THE   PRE- 
SENT  TIME. 
When  appointed. 

June  2,  1808,  JOHN  STOTJTENBURGH,*  Chairman,  term  expired 

Dec.  31,  1814. 

"  "      JOHN  NITCHIE,  jr.,*Secretary,  resigned  Jan.,  1813. 

"      RICHARD  DURYEE,*  Chairman  from  Jan.  1,  1814, 
to  Jan.,  1815,  when  his  term  expired.     Re- 
elected  as  Trustee  and  Chairman,  Oct.,  1831. 
Deceased  Sept.,  1835. 
"  "      ISAAC  HEYER,*  Chairman  from  Jan.,   1815,  to 

the  time  of  his  decease,  April,  1827. 
"  "       ABRAHAM  BRINCKERHOFF,  Jr.,*    resigned   Jan., 

1813. 

"  "       ANTHONY  DEY,  resigned  Feb.,  1810. 

"  "      JESSE  BALDWIN,*  resigned  March,  1812. 

Feb.,  1810,  HUYBERT  VAN  WAGENEN,*  Secretary  from  Jan., 
1813,  to  Jan.,  1815.  Term  expired  Dec.  31, 
1817. 

March,  1812.    HENRY  J.  WYCKOFF,*  term  expired  Feb.,  1818. 
Feb.,   1813.       JOHN  D.  KEESE,*  term  expired  Jan.,  1819. 
"  "          JOHN  V.  B.  VARICK,*  Secretary  from  Jan.,  1815, 

to  Jan.,  1820,  when  his  time  expired. 
Jan.,  1814.       JOHN  KANE,*  resigned  Jan.,  1818. 
"       1815.       MICHAEL  SCHOONMAKER,*  removed  from  the  city, 

Oct.,  1823. 

"       1817.       JOHN  CLARKE,  M.  D.,*  resigned  July,  1824. 
"       1818.       WILLIAM  HARDENBROOK,  Jr.,  removed  to  Harlem, 

April,  1827. 

Feb.,  1818.       JOHN  VAN  VECHTEN,*  deceased  Oct.  13,  1821. 
Jan.,    1819.       JEROMIUS  JOHNSON,*  Secretary,  Jan.,  1820,  re- 
signed July,  1824. 

March,  1820.     PETER  I.  NEVIUS,  resigned  Sept.,  1821. 
Sept.,  1821.       JOHN  A.  LENT,*  deceased  Oct.  13,  1821. 
Nov.,  1821.       TIMOTHY  HUTTON,*  resigned  July,  1824. 
"         "  OBADIAH  HOLMES,  resigned  July,  1824. 

Oct.,  1823.        ABRAHAM  VAN  NEST,  resigned  March,  1826. 
July,  1824.       ABRAHAM  BLOODGOOD,*  resigned  March,  1826. 

*  Deceased. 


114 


HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 


When  appointed. 

July,  1824,      JAMES  C.  ROOSEVELT,*  Chairman,  April,  1827,  re- 
signed July,  1831. 

"          "          JOHN  NEXSEN,*  resigned  July,  1831. 
"          "          ISAAC  YOUNG,  Secretary,  July,   1824,  resigned 

July,  1831. 
March,  1826.     JOHN  I.  LABAGH,*  resigned  July,  1831. 

"  "         STEPHEN  VAN  BRUNT,*  deceased  Feb.,  1828. 

May,  1827.        PETER  STAGG,*  resigned  July,  1831. 

"          "          THEOPHILUS  ANTHONY,  resigned  July,  1831. 
April,  1828.      JOHN  OOTHOUT,  resigned  July,  1831. 
Oct  6,  1831.     JOHN  CLARK,*  resigned  Dec.,  1834. 
"  "        JOHN  LIMBEHGER,*  resigned  Nov.,  1836. 

"  "        JAMES  V.  H.  LAWRENCE,  Secretary,  Oct.,  1831, 

resigned  July,  1836. 

"  "        JAMES  WARD,  term  expired  Feb.,  1844. 

"  "        JAMES  VAN  ANTWERP,  resigned  Jan.,  1834. 

Feb.,    1834.       REUBEN  VAN  PELT,  resigned  March,  1839. 
Jan.,    1835.       DAVID  L.  HAIGHT,*  resigned  Feb.,  1839. 
Feb.,    1835.       NOAH  WETMORE,*  Chairman  from  Sept.,  1835,  to 

his  decease,  July  12,  1848. 

Oct.,  1835.        JAMES  SUYDAM,  resigned  July,  1836. 
Sept,  1836.       JOSEPH  V.  VARICK,*  removed  from  the  city  Oct., 

1838. 
"        "          JAMES  SIMMONS,  Secretary,  Sept.,  1836,  removed 

from  the  city  Aug.,  1839. 

PETER  R.  WARNER,!  Secretary,  Sept.,  1839,  re- 
signed on  account  of  protracted  illness,  Oct., 
1843.  Reeleoted  to  Board,  Feb.,  1844.  Sec. 
retary  from  Feb.  1845,  to  Feb.,  1846.  Re- 
signed, Feb.,  1848.  Reelected  to  the  Board, 
Oct.,  1852,  and  elected  Chairman,  February, 
1853. 

Nov.,  1838.      JOHN  I.  BROWER,!  term  expired  Feb.,  1846.     Re- 
elected  Dec.,  1649. 
Feb.,  1839.      VALENTINE  VAN  DE  WATER,  term  expired  Feb., 

1845. 
Sept,  1839.      CHARLES  DEVOE,  Chairman,  July,  1848,  removed 

to  Michigan,  1850. 

"         "          JOHN  I.  DE  FOREEST,  resigned  Jan.,  1842. 
Jan.,   1842.       JAMES  D.  OLIVER,  term  expired  Feb.,  1846. 
Oct,   1843.       JOHN  ACKERMAN,  Secretary  from  Dec.,  1843,  to 
Feb.,  1845.     Resigned  April,  1849. 


Deceased. 


f  Present  members  of  the  Board. 


FROM    1783    TO    THE    PRESENT    TIME.  115 

When  appointed. 

Feb.,   1845.       MORTIMER  DE  MOTTE,  term  expired  Feb.,  1851. 
"       1846.       THOMAS  JEREMIAH,  Secretary  from  March,  1846, 

till  his  term  expired,  Feb.,  1852. 
EDWARD  L.  BEADLE,  M.  D.,f  Chairman  from  Nov., 

1850,  to  Feb.,  1853. 
April,  1848.      JOHN  VAN  NEsr.f 
Feb.,  1849.       HUYBEKT  VAN  WAGENEN,  Jr.,*  deceased  Sept.  10, 

1850. 

April,    1849.     GEORGE  ZABRISKIE,*  deceased  Aug.,  1849. 
Oct.,    1850.       GEORGE  S.  STITT,|  Secretary  from  March,  1852, 

to  Feb.,  1853. 

"  "          CHARLES  S.  LITTLE,  f 

April,    1851.      HENRY  OOTHOUT,  resigned  Sept.,  1852. 
Feb.,   1852.       GAMALIEL  G.  SMITH,!  Secretary,  Feb.,  1853. 

The  stated  meetings  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  were  held, 
rom  1808  to  1824,  in  the  Consistory-chamber,  Garden 
street.  From  1824  to  1843,  in  the  Consistory -chamber, 
corner  of  Nassau  and  Ann  streets.  From  January,  1843,  to 
February,  1846,  at  the  school-rooms  in  Mercer  street.  From 
March,  1846,  to  November,  1847,  in  the  Consistory-room, 
Fourth  street;  and  since  December,  1847,  they  have  been 
held  in  the  present  school-rooms. 

*  Deceased.  f  Present  members  of  the  Board. 


116  HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL, 


THE      SCHOOL: 

ITS  PRESENT  CONDITION,  COURSE  OF  STUDY,  ETC. 

THE  building  No.  183  Fourth  street,  erected  for  the  express 
accommodation  of  the  school,  and  which  it  at  present  occu- 
pies, is  a  substantial  brick  edifice,  forty  feet  front  by  forty- 
five  feet  deep. 

The  main  room  on  the  first  floor  is  occupied  by  the  Boys' 
Department;  adjacent  to  which  are  two  class-rooms,  and  a 
wardrobe  for  their  accommodation. 

The  second  floor  is  occupied  by  the  Girls'  Department. 
It  consists  of  one  large  room  and  four  class-rooms.  In  one 
of  these  the  Trustees  hold  their  stated  meetings ;  and  its 
walls  are  occupied  with  specimens  of  drawings  and  orna- 
mental needlework  executed  and  presented  by  the  graduates 
of  the  institution ;  and  also  with  frames  containing  their 
daguerreotypes,  from  the  establishment  of  ABRAHAM  BOGAR- 
DUS,  Greenwich  street. 

The  rooms  on  the  third  floor  are  appropriated  to  exercises 
in  sewing,  drawing,  etc. 

Outline  maps  are  delineated  on  the  walls  of  the  school- 
rooms, and  each  department  is  supplied  with  the  Croton 
water. 

The  Trustees  of  the  institution,  desirous  of  providing  for 
the  children  the  means  of  enriching  their  minds  with  profita- 
ble reading,  and  of  cultivating  among  them  a  taste  for  lite- 
rary pursuits,  induced  a  number  of  its  friends  to  contribute 
funds  sufficient  to  procure  not  only  a  list  of  miscellaneous 


•         FROM    1783    TO    TH«    PRESENT   TIME.  117 

works  adequate  at  that  time  (1843)  to  the  wants  of  the 
school,  but  also  some  astronomical  apparatus.  The  number 
of  volumes  in  the  library  has  since  been  augmented  by  some 
valuable  works  donated  by  Hon.  James  W.  Beekman. 

Number  of  Scholars. — Previous  to  the  Revolutionary  War 
the  greatest  number  of  children  in  the  school  at  any  one 
period  was  thirty.  Subsequently,  (1783,)  when  the  ravages 
of  war  had  unsettled  every  thing  relating  to  educational 
affairs,  and  the  resources  of  the  Church  were  limited,  the 
school  reorganized  with  ten  scholars. 

In  1786,  the  number  of  pupils  was  limited  to  twelve. 

"  1789,  "  «  "  "  thirty. 

"  1791,  "  "  "  "  fifty. 

"  1800,  "  "  "  "  seventy. 

"  1808,  "  "  "  "  seventy-two. 

"  1809,  "  "  "  "  one  hundred. 

Up  to  this  date,  as  a  general  thing,  the  Principal  had 
enjoyed  the  privilege  of  having  pay-scholars,  in  addition  to 
the  numbers  above  given ;  but  none  of  that  class  have 
beenteceived  since. 

In  1819,  the  limit  was  extended  to  one  hundred  and  ten ; 
which  number,  however,  was  not  complete  till  the  year  1842. 
Subsequently,  the  number  of  applicants  for  admission  greatly 
increased.  This  fact,  coupled  with  the  earnest  desire  of  the 
Trustees  to  extend  the  peculiar  privilege  of  the  school  to  as 
many  pupils  as  the  building  would  accommodate,  led,  in  the 
beginning  of  1850,  to  the  simultaneous  admission  of  forty 
new  scholars  :  thus  establishing  the  present  limit  of  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty. 

Qualifications  for  Admission  into  the  School. — During  the 
greater  part  of  the  first  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  years 
of  the  existence  of  the  school,  its  doors  were  open  to  all  the 
citizens  who  wished  to  have  their  children  educated  therein. 


118  HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL,  ' 

But  as  our  denomination  increased  in  the  city,  by  the  forma- 
tion of  different  congregations  issuing  from  the  Collegiate 
Church,  it  was  found  necessary  to  confine  the  privileges  of  the 
school  to  those  whose  ancestors  had  been  its  liberal  support- 
ers ;  and  the  common  schools  having  sprung  into  existence, 
those  precluded  were  not  left  destitute  of  the  means  of  edu- 
cation. The  school  is  therefore  now,  from  necessity,  main- 
tained exclusively  for  the  children  of  those  persons  who  are 
either  communing  members,  or  habitual  attendants,  of  some 
church  in  our  denomination ;  a  certificate  to  that  effect, 
signed  by  the  pastor,  being  required  from  the  applicant. 

All  the  children  are  required  to  attend  Sabbath-school 
and  church,  at  one  of  the  churches  of  our  denomination, 
under  the  regulations  prescribed.* 

This  feature  of  the  school  must  commend  itself  to  every 
reflecting  mind ;  for  the  habitual  attendance  of  youth,  for 
many  years,  upon  Sabbath-school  instruction  and  the  services 
of  the  sanctuary,  will,  by  the  influences  thereby  exerted  upon 
their  hearts  and  consciences,  almost  invariably  preclude  them 
from  swelling  the  hordes  of  those  who  now  find  pleasure  in 
the  desecration  of  the  holy  Sabbath,  reverencing  neither  it 
nor  its  God. 

CURRICULUM    OF    STUDY. 
READING,  ORTHOGRAPHY,  AND  DEFINITIONS. 
PENMANSHIP. 

ARITHMETIC  AND  BOOK-KEEPING. 
GEOGRAPHY. 
GRAMMAR. 

HISTORY  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 
UNIVERSAL  HISTORY. 
COMPOSITION. 

•Vide  ante,  p.  106. 


FROM  1783  TO  THE  PRESENT  TIME.  119 

ASTRONOMY. 

PHYSIOLOGY. 

BOTANY. 

ELOCUTION. 

PLAIN  AND  ORNAMENTAL  NEEDLEWORK. 

DRAWING. 

CATECHISM. 

For  the  past  sixty  years,  at  first  quarterly,  and  subsequently 
semi-annually,  in  April  and  October,  the  school  has  been 
examined  by  the  Board  of  Trustees  and  the  Consistory. 
Durjpg  the  past  ten  years,  an  annual  exhibition  has  been 
given,  consisting  of  examinations  in  the  various  branches 
taught,  and  of  exercises  in  declamation  and  vocal  music. 
On  these  occasions,  also,  premia  are  distributed  to  those 
pupils  who  have  distinguished  themselves  by  diligence  in 
their  studies,  and  correct  deportment ;  and  the  "  Honors"  of 
the  school  are  presented  to  those  children  who  may  be  gra- 
duating from  it.  These  Honors  consist  of  a  Bible ;  a  psalm- 
book,  containing  the  Catechism  and  Liturgy  of  our  Church ; 
and  a  mounted  Testimonial,*  signed  by  the  officers  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees. 

The  extent  and  thoroughness  of  the  instruction  imparted, 
the  correct  habits  induced,  and  the  integrity  of  their  moral 
character,  have  acquired  for  the  children  a  worthy  reputation. 
Of  late  years,  the  demand  for  clerks  and  apprentices,  from 

*  These  testimonials,  originally  written,  were  first  presented  in 
1792-  In  1827,  they  were  printed  from  a  copperplate  engraved 
expressly  for  the  purpose.  The  Bible  was  added  in  1809,  and  the 
psalm-book  in  1812.  Slany  individuals  who  hold  these  honors  are 
now  maintaining,  by  their  integrity  and  usefulness,  a  high  rank  as 
merchants,  artisans,  and  members  of  the  learned  professions ; 
among  whom  may  be  found  the  names  of  a  few  in  the  ministerial 
calling.  Books  were  first  distributed  as  premia  in  1810. 


120  HISTORY    OF   THE    SCHOOL. 

among  merchants  and  others,  mostly  connected  with  the 
Dutch  Church,  has  exceeded  the  ability  to  supply  them. 
Many  children  have  thus  obtained  desirable  situations  with 
individuals,  in  whose  employ  no  fear  is  entertained  of  the 
corruption  of  their  moral  principles ;  and  of  the  whole  num- 
ber of  th  se  who  have  graduated  within  the  past  ten  years, 
and  entered  upon  the  active  duties  of  life,  not  one,  so  far  as 
is  known,  has  failed  to  sustain  a  reputation  for  intelligence, 
ability,  and  moral  worth.  And  it  is  a  happiness  to  know 
that  several  of  them,  under  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
have  embraced  the  truth  inculcated  and  early  impressed,  and 
are  now  wielding  their  influence  for  the  advancement  of  flieir 
Saviour's  cause. 

Thus  fruit  abounds  to  the  praise  of  Him  who  has  watched 
over  and  guided  this  institution  amidst  all  the  vicissitudes  of 
changing  time,  till  it  now  stands  a  venerable  monument  of 
the  past,  yet  possessed  of  pristine  vigor  to  meet  the  claims  of 
the  future ;  contemplating,  as  the  true  idea  of  education,  the 
simultaneous  and  harmonious  development  of  the  moral, 
intellectual,  and  physical  powers ;  cooperating  in  rendering 
efficiency  to  the  instructions  of  home  and  the  sanctuary ; 
preparing  the  future  citizen  for  usefulness  and  happiness  hero 
and  hereafter,  and  imparting  light  to  the  future  saint,  whose  in- 
fluence shall  be  on  the  side  of  truth,  and  whose  fervent  prayer 
will  go  up  to  the  God  of  love  and  grace,  for  the  hastening 
of  the  day  when  "  wisdom  and  knowledge  shall  be  stability 
of  the  times"  and  for  the  fulfilment  to  His  Church  of  the 
promise  of  the  covenant-keeping  God:  "All  thy  children 
shall  be  taught  of  the  Lord? 


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